Use 100% of gas tax for road/bridge repair

To the Editor:

Why do we send people to Jefferson City as Senators and Representatives to do the business of our state?? It has been a few years with information coming from the Missouri Department of Transportation as to the condition of our roads and bridges and not having enough moneys in the budget to repair or replace many of them.

If the politicians would get their heads out of their _ and get together to see what is really needed for the whole State of Missouri, they would get the job done. These politicians have been fumbling around with no real concept as to what to do to correct this problem. In early 2015, these politicians tried to pass a state sales tax that would require all people pay an additional sales tax to repair the roads and bridges, whether they used the roads or not. This sales tax was shot down because the people of the state saw through this fiasco.

I also read in the Poplar Bluff DAR last Sunday where there was a petition circulating around to ask the people of Missouri to increase the cigarette tax from 17 cents to 40 cents a pack to help pay for the road and bridge repairs. What FOOL came up with this idea?? Do I Smoke?? NO!! I do not, but I do use the roads and feel that myself along with all the others using the roads pay for the repairs and replacements.

When an additional gas and diesel fuel tax is passed, it should require that one hundred percent of the additional fuel tax be used for road and bridge repairs or replacements, PERIOD. With the present gas tax structure, the moneys are proportioned out to different organizations to the point that by the time it gets to repairing roads and bridges, there is little left to get the job done. This would also help put the people of the State of Missouri to work.

Gerald T. (Tom) Melton

Doniphan, Mo.