Reader comments
UDOT chief floats gas-tax change

What UDOT does, build roads and waste money, is not a life threatening situatuion. If the present appointees to run UDOT can't operate within their budget then get rid of the overhead. The idea of raising taxes for any reason in a serious recession and possible depression looming is very irresonsible government. If all the gas tax and other fuel related taxes went to UDOT instead of the general funds how would the number add up? Any increae in taxes for any reason in Utah is basicly a tax increase for the state general funds to be used for any reason other than what a tax is collected or labeled for. There is no such thing as a tax for specific use when it all goes to every state agency. The only thing is Utah's taxing system is they can target whatever tax there is to raise taxes for general use. We can do without roads and UDOT as they are not life threatening needs. Besides, our great philanthorpist Obama is sending some funds to UDOT. Regressive taxation is an act against Utah's people that is an afront to our inteligence. Every department must learn to live with its budget.

Can you give us examples of what the Democrats did to cause this mess? Who had veto power? Who was in control pre 2006? Get a clue Sean.....

This proposed gas tax would put Utah within 6 cents of the highest gasoline tax in all 50 states! why does Utah always have to be the highest and worst in the nation?

The article doesn't mention what the proposed tax rate would be. This seems like a fairly important detail...

So the state gives a tax credit for hybrid cars and then wonders why they have less gas tax revenue. They need to look at a different revenue source than a gas tax. The tax is not spread equally on every vehicle.

UDOT the same idiots who shell out millions to tear down every home on 800 N in Orem--not to widen the road, but to add pretty green grass on either side. If they'd stop blowing their budget on stupid things like that, they wouldn't have this problem.

We need to change how the gas tax is collected so it can keep pace with inflation. The most useful tax would be a combination of a flat tax (per gallon) and a percentage tax. Say $0.20 / gallon plus 2% of the purchase price / gallon (total tax 0.24 per gallon @ 2.00 or 0.28 @ 4.00)

The gas tax hasn't been raised in 10 years, the purchasing power of that tax (which used to be 25% of the price of gas) is way down. Lets get a system that works, and then leave it alone.

Sorry folks, ain't no free lunch. Utah roads are horribly underfunded when gas prices are high, and worse when they are low. We can't wish our way to a solution. The up side of fuel taxes is that at least the benefit goes directly to the people and businesses that pay them. Traffic is horrid and getting worse. It chokes off business and makes our lives miserable. The economy is slow now, but it will come back. When it does we'll still need more and better roads, and it will help revive the economy, too.

This is one area where government spending does some good. You create new jobs right off the bat, and better, more efficient transport creates more down the line. It's a fact of life you have to pay for roads.

Do I want a new or higher tax? No. Do I want to spend an extra hour a day commuting. NO!

Tax us, the money the state needs has to come from somewhere and this ain't so bad. How much more can the most Republican govn't in the nation cut costs? Cut salaries? Do we want a bunch of uneducated morons working for the state and making things worse? Many responsibilities with few resources = a lot of whining. However, higher taxes for necessary resources = a lot of whining. You got to pick the lesser of two evils or you'll never be happy. I'd rather give it up to get things done. Just because you can identify one or two inefficiencies of govn't doesn't mean it's not working and we shouldn't give them another dime. We've got it pretty good here in Utah. But I'm not saying we don't keep getting better, just that we don't stop all else while waiting for the change to be made.

Utah already has the 5th highest gas tax in the nation. Lets work on lowering it! Not raising it.

The price of gas will go back up. It does not matter what the price of gas is, the State gets the same amount of revenue. This is just a ploy to raise how much money they collect.

No tax increases. Only decreases!

Were did you get your information

"Utah already has the 5th highest gas tax in the nation."

That is not even close. Utah is 23rd in the nation. Do a simple internet search for Utah Gas Tax and you will get a complete list.

The lowest state: Alaska = 8 cents/gal
The Highest state: California = 45.5 cents/gal

I say Raise the tax

I think $2.50/gallon is a good price that is affordable, but still causes enough pain to look for alternative energy sources. The delta between the cost and the price can be applied to the clean energy effort.

And before I get screamed off stage, I have never voted for a Democrat (and yes, I've voted many times).