Mayors, legislators discuss transportation funds
Funding roads has always been a big issue in Idaho.
Mayors and lawmakers from all over eastern Idaho gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn on Tuesday to talk about some major issues in the state. That’s where road conditions and funding came up.
Local leaders say roads are constantly in need of repair. Funding for that typically comes from gas taxes, but that’s not generating as much revenue as it did in the past.
“Cars become more fuel efficient, people buy less gas, therefore they’re paying less, and less of that amount goes to the gasoline tax, the gasoline fund doesn’t collect as much money,” said Rebecca Casper, mayor of Idaho Falls.
“And we haven’t raised them for decades and we have continued to lose money, but yet those monies are supposed to fix roads,” said Brian Blad, mayor of Pocatello.
They said no one likes to raise taxes, but right now it’s the only option they have.
They are still trying to find a fair solution to get more funding. There is no decision on how the funding issue will be solved. The goal Tuesday was to start acknowledging the problem.
