Time to push the pedal for motor fuel tax?

So, what did you pay for a gallon of gas today?

Was it $2.99 … or maybe $3.05? Perhaps it was $3.09? Were you shocked at having to pay $3.16? In disgust, maybe you drove out of town and paid just $2.95 a gallon — only to find your price “savings” eaten away by the cost of driving to and fro.

Up and down, up and down goes each day’s price per gallon.

These oscillating fuel charges — telegraphed simultaneously to an innumerable number of vendors and displayed via huge, red-lettered signs out front — seem to be orchestrated by what appears to be a cartel of C-Store pricey maintenance manipulators.

Bored by the drone of excuses from oil companies, we grudgingly pay the day’s price and go on with our lives.

Given the daily swing of gas prices, wouldn’t this be a marvelous time to increase the motor fuel tax? That is, let’s replenish the financially strapped Missouri Department of Transportation’s coffers so they can get on with the business of maintaining our highways, maybe build a new one here or there, keep their people working, maybe hire more and, overall, give us motorists fewer reasons to curse at our state roads.

So why is there such opposition to increasing Missouri’s cellar-clinging motor fuel tax when we don’t seem too troubled by each day’s fluctuations of gas prices?

During a recent radio interview, a caller asked state Rep. Mary Still about raising Missouri’s historically low motor fuel tax. Her paraphrased response went something like, “Oh … we can’t do that … there isn’t any support for increasing the gasoline tax.” Really?

Presumably our lawmakers know more about attitudes on this explosive issue across the state than we do. Yet Still doesn’t seem very troubled about turning Interstate 70 into a toll road.

Tollways to come?

In the 1920s, Columbia’s pioneering motorists had to pay a toll to reach the state capital on a “turnpike” that was the forerunner to U.S. 63. Tolls collected were used to maintain that particular path. Twenty years later, toll road authorities were organized to finance and build individual superhighways such as Connecticut’s Merritt Parkway and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Other states, including Kansas and Oklahoma, built toll roads during the ’50s, while Missouri at various times considered and failed to replicate their efforts.

Turning some of Missouri’s interstate highways into tollways seems wrong. Pinching the users of major arteries such as Interstate 44 and Interstate 70 for statewide maintenance doesn’t seem fair to me.

On the other hand, an across-the-state increase of our historically low motor fuel tax would pinch everyone equally, regardless of location. Like it or not, it’s something Missourians will have to consider and get used to if they want well-maintained highways.

Don’t count on a tax increase during an election year. State senators and representatives are already scurrying for cover on matters relating to taxation. It’s more likely that the state’s historically low cigarette tax will be increased before any upward adjustment is made to the motor fuel tax.

Airport receives attention

Meanwhile, there’s more to be optimistic about relative to Columbia aviation. With the alarm sounded about the fragility of scheduled air service at Columbia Regional Airport, strike forces have been organized to make sure the region doesn’t get left out.

A tidbit left almost unnoticed by Columbia Third Ward Councilman Gary Kespohl during a recent radio call-in show indicated that an unidentified carrier has shown an interest in flying to Chicago and Dallas if the city upgraded its terminal facility, presumably adding a Jetway or two. Based on the number of advance hotel bookings when the University of Missouri enters the SEC — some lodgings reportedly are already sold out for certain home football games — there’s no question activity at the airport will surge.

But there’s a caveat. According to some who follow local aviation, the city needs to re-evaluate and adjust its attitude toward general aviation — those nonscheduled business, sport or hobby fliers. Some pilots aver that Columbia Regional Airport isn’t a friendly place for owners and users of smaller planes. An apparent ongoing hostility toward construction of Tee hangars and a generally more welcoming attitude found at nearby fields have sent dozens of plane owners to the Elton Hensley Memorial Airport in Fulton, the Jesse Viertel Airport southeast of Boonville and the Jefferson City Memorial Airport.

You’d think we would want folks passionate about aviation on our side when voters are asked to approve improvements at Columbia Regional Airport.