MoDOT director calls on gas tax increase

Faced with a shrinking funding supply, Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna today called on the passage of a proposed 5.9-cent gas tax increase.

In his first official visit to the Queen City, McKenna spoke this morning to members of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and the Springfield Business Development Corp.

McKenna praised the Missouri Senate’s recent passage of a measure that would raise the gas tax to 22.9 cents per gallon from its current 17 cents. If passed, the taxes are expected to inject an additional $165 million per year to MoDOT and $71 million more for city and county roads. Senate Bill 263, which received a second read by the Missouri House last week, would put the issue in front of voters in November.

The MoDOT director said the tax increase would be minor to consumers but ultimately pay dividends.

“If I could say to you, would you rather spend a dime than a dollar on something, what would your answer be?” he said. “If the investment in infrastructure and the cost to fix the current condition is smaller than what you’re paying today because of the current condition, that’s a different way of looking at it.”

Currently, McKenna said a person who drives 10,000 miles per year and gets 20 miles to the gallon is paying $180 annually for access and use of the transportation network. With the gas increase, that would go up by $2.46 per month, or by about $29.50 per year.

“I think it’s a very small price to pay when you put it against what you pay for the current condition through other means, not necessarily through taxation but through payment to your local front-end alignment shop, your tire shop, all of those things,” said McKenna, who’s been director for four months. “Putting those things in context is really critical as we move forward.”

Last year, Missouri had the seventh-lowest gas tax in the U.S., according to 247WallSt.com.

MoDOT, which is tasked with maintaining the country’s seventh-largest transportation system, expects to see its budget shrink to $150 million next year. That’s down from $1.3 billion in 2009.

The Springfield chamber is in support of the gas tax bill. Last week, local voters approved renewals of two Springfield transportation sales taxes.

“Industry working together with government is where the answers lie,” McKenna said.