Jackson Free Press

"Putting an additional $700 or $800 million of additional gas taxes on the citizens of our state at this time when the economy is what it is, and everyone's having a hard time already—I think it's the wrong approach."

—State Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, regarding finding a solution for Mississippi's road maintenance costs.

Why it stinks: It's predictable. Someone—especially a Democrat—says the state needs additional revenue, and we can count on a Republican (or a Tea Partier) to provide the knee-jerk 
reaction: No!

The condition of many Mississippi roads is bad. Without funds to maintain them (which the state has not allocated), those conditions will continue to deteriorate into the realm of pathetic and unsafe.

Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, invited alternate proposals when he talked about the tax increase. He put it out as a way to get the discussion started.

Simmons' proposal would raise gas taxes 8 cents to 10 cents per gallon. For a 20-gallon fill-up, that's $1.60 to $2. The annual total for someone who fills up once a week would be roughly $100. That's not an exorbitant price to pay considering the additional repair costs for pot-hole-damaged vehicles—much less the injuries and deaths that could occur because our roads are treacherous.