Opinion: Missouri Needs To Increase Fuel Taxes, Index For Future Adjustments
The last time Missouri’s fuel tax rate increased was 1996 — from a 1993 law that increased it a little for 3 years. Meanwhile, Missouri has built more miles of infrastructure to maintain and maintenance/construction costs have increased. There are many ways to raise money for roads & bridges but the most direct is fuel taxes.
Our legislators in Jefferson City need to address this issue — but I don’t see it happening. Even if they managed to pass a small increase our new governor would likely veto it.
The results of the recent Sunday Poll:
Q: Agree or disagree: Missouri should index fuel taxes so they automatically adjust up or down.
- Strongly agree 11 [40.74%]
- Agree 8 [29.63%]
- Somewhat agree 4 [14.81%]
- Neither agree or disagreeii 1 [3.7%]
- Somewhat disagree 2 [7.41%]
- Disagree 0 [0%]
- Strongly disagree 1 [3.7%]
- Unsure/No Answer 0 [0%]
In addition to increasing the fuel tax, there needs to be an index to automatically adjust it going forward. Not exactly sure the basis for the indexing, but we can’t go decades without a change since deterioration & increased costs never stop.
— Steve Patterson