Pay for roads with national sales tax

I have an answer to the question posed by Adam Griffith’s Friday letter to editor (“If not gas tax, how to pay for roads?”). I have contacted Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen and also the state department of transportation many times in the last few years to tell them that the 31-cent state tax, plus the 18.4-cent federal tax is unfair. It is getting more unfair every day.

What’s happening is that more and more motorists are opting out of the taxes every day. For instance: We have electric, hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell, natural gas, propane, biodiesel, including the “home brewers,” wood and maybe I missed some running around on the roads and bridges – some not paying any road tax. I say ax the gas tax and come up with an alternative that everybody pays. After all, almost everything we buy and use comes by road.

It’s a little like social security, nobody wants to pay in, but everyone wants to collect when the time comes. I am in favor of alternative fuels.The best solution is a national sales tax. It probably would not have to be very high.

I have asked Sen. Haugen to send me a list of the alternatives and how they pay the gas tax, which should be changed to road tax and the subject is changed. “If the facts are with you, argue the facts, if they are against you, change the subject.”

Clifford K. Rise

Anacortes