Save Our Roads By Saving Some Gas

The price of gas in the U.S. has risen dramatically in the past couple of years, when not too long ago we were paying just over $1 per gallon and today we're often paying over $3. Thing is, prices are not likely to return to the $1 days, and quite likely to keep going up. I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see us hit $5 within the next couple of years.

However, prices have been fluctuating considerably, so much so that discerning the 3 cent gas tax increase in July was like trying to pick out a snowflake in a snowstorm. If nobody told you it happened you wouldn't have been able to tell.

However, supporters of I-912, the initiative that looks to repeal the gas tax increase that would produce 60% of the $8.5 billion transportation bill, are raging that the gas tax increase is going to hurt our pocketbooks and hurt businesses. This despite the fact that the business community is strongly in favor of the transportation package that plans to fund over 270 safety and traffic improvement projects all over the state. This despite the simple fact that what today will cost us $8.5 billion, if neglected will cost us far more in the future, and likely require a larger tax.

Washingtonians that might be swayed to support I-912 because it might save them a few cents on a gallon of gas, should also consider other ways they can save far more than just a few cents when they head to the pump.

Consider filling up at the gas station with the lowest price. I'm continuously amazed at the number of drivers who choose to buy gas at gas stations that charge 10, and sometimes 20 cents more than a competitor just across the street, or even right next door. I certainly hope these same consumers aren't the ones ranting and raving about the gas tax causing their costs to go up.

Consider driving with a lighter foot on the accelerator. Every green light needn't be your cue to act like Dale Earnhardt Jr. Once up to speed, try to use cruise control if you can. My daily commute offers me the opportunity to hit cruise control which helps me maintain a constant speed. Anticipate slowdowns and avoid tailgating in traffic. I've found that changes to my driving habits have helped improve my gas mileage by as much as 20%, which equates to a significant savings at the pump.

There are many other things you can do to save a few cents here and there and offset your tax contribution toward the transportation package. From keeping your tires inflated to their optimal pressure, to down-sizing the gas guzzler you drive, to consolidating trips, to car pooling or simply using public transportation more often. Of course not all solutions are viable options for everyone, but certainly the first two I highlighted can help make a difference.

Some would argue that with all the price increases, unless we tax some of it, all the profits will be going to the oil companies. This on its own is a silly argument. What isn't silly is taxing gas for the purpose of funding the infrastructure needed to support all the vehicles that drive our roads. That's a reasonable thing to do. We can't each afford to pay for the sliver of road we drive on each day. We have to all pitch in together so that government agencies can build and maintain roads and bridges we all benefit from, if even only occasionally.

Meanwhile, the production and delivery of gas is a business, and businesses must be able to profit from it, within reason. Oil is also a limited natural resource, and as such we must find ways to conserve or be more efficient with its use.

All of these factors and more go into determining the cost of a gallon of gas, and over time, adjustments for inflation must be made, to profits and to the gas tax. The transportation bill does raise the price of gas, but as an increasingly small percentage of the total cost of a gallon of gas, and barely enough to keep apace of the cost of living, and hence the cost of maintaining our transportation infrastructure, that today has piled up $32 billion of construction needs that without gas tax funding will not be met.

The transportation bill is a small but necessary step toward meeting our transportation safety and traffic improvement needs. At the same time, subtle adjustments to our driving habits can make small, but noticeable differences to improving our bottom line, without sacrificing the state's ongoing need to fix and grow the transportation infrastructure we all benefit from and rely on.

We have a choice, and the responsible one is to vote against I-912, and for better roads and bridges. If we ever have a snowstorm, or worse weather, you'll be glad you did.