Tuesday, September 23, 2008

The Sept. 15 editorial "Paying for Roads" captured the enormous challenge facing states that must address the gap between transportation needs to support population and economic growth and the dwindling revenue that state and federal gas taxes are providing.

The gasoline tax, our main transportation revenue source for more than 50 years, is now completely inadequate to meet our needs. Many states are cutting back transportation plans as revenue fails to materialize.

Though this transportation funding crisis is making headlines only now, most states, including Oregon, have been hard at work on solutions for many years. In 2001, I sponsored legislation that created a task force to study the problem; the bill also created a pilot program called the Oregon Mileage Fee Concept, which charges vehicles according to the number of miles driven as an alternative revenue system to the gas tax. This concept could be a solution for America's long-term transportation funding needs.

But we in the states need a strong federal partner -- one that complements and supports without burdening our efforts.

The federal government needs to leave all funding and financing tools available to state legislators as we work to provide for state-specific needs.

We encourage Congress to explore new concepts such as a miles-traveled fee to fund federal highway coffers, while leaving states the flexibility to develop and use what works best for us.

BRUCE STARR

State Senator (R-Hillsboro)

Chairman, National Conference

of State Legislatures

Surface Transportation

Reauthorization Working Group

Salem, Ore.