Raise Gasoline Taxes Now! — What? Are You Crazy?

If one is an elected official who has to periodically face the voters at the polls, one of the last things one wants to do is to increase taxes. It is probably for that very reason that our Transportation Trust Fund has now run out of money, with the consequence that much-needed projects are stuck in the mud.
However at this point in time, the politicians need to hear the opposite of what they have been hearing from us – “We need you to raise our gasoline taxes so that important, postponed projects can get moving!” Don’t get me wrong, when Patricia and I travel out of state, I always fill up the tank just before leaving New Jersey, and hold off buying gas, if possible, until we get back in our state, so I don’t have to pay other states’ higher gas prices because of their higher gas taxes. And, by the way, they don’t even pump it for us; if we factored that in, a gallon would be even more expensive.
Specifically for us here in Cape May County, we have the issue of far too many people dying and being injured on Routes 47 and 347. The long-planned answer to that travesty is the completion of Route 55. Without funds, though, the road can’t be built. Furthermore, that money is also needed for other infrastructural issues, most notably our aging bridges.
So that is why the Cape Issues committee members are supporting increasing the gas tax – for the same reason people spend money on anything  – when the value of that thing is greater than our desire to keep our wallets in our pockets.
But as critically important as safety of the roads is, it is not the only issue. We also want to earn a living, and a good living at that; to do so requires a thriving economy – something that we have not enjoyed for a while now. Uncongested, convenient, modern transportation fosters this, and without it, the economy languishes, and we will continue to lose population, as people throw up their hands and move to the Carolinas.
Cape May County is beautiful, but it is not the only desirable place on the planet. We must stay competitive with all the other resorts. Other states have better roads for their visitors to travel on, and air travel has opened up enormous competition to other tourist destinations. When I was a kid, only business people and rich people flew; nowadays, people hop on a plane like they used to hop on a bus. That is to say, we must respond to the changing world around us. New Jersey has sat on its hands too long, and it is hurting us.
Back to Cape Issues; the point person for getting Route 55 built is former Dennis Township mayor Bob Grace, who has a thick file on Route 55 from his decades of work to get it built. We support raising the gas tax to complete Route 55, with the caveat that completion of Route 55 and replacing our old bridges be part of any bill.
So, folks, to save lives and promote our prosperity, the Cape Issues people call on you to support a reasonable gasoline tax increase. If you have concerns or opposing views, speak up. Use letters to the editor or Spout Off, as you see fit; let’s build consensus and move forward.
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From The Bible:
If you ask God for wisdom, and don’t doubt, He will give it to you. From James 1