AUSTIN - The state's road network faces continued deterioration unless Texas expands its transportation investment to keep pace with a rapidly growing population, Tarrant County lawmakers were told Tuesday.
"The credit card is about to be maxed out," said Vic Suhm, executive director of the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition, urging lawmakers to consider potentially controversial options -- including a possible increase in the gasoline tax -- to help generate revenue to meet the state's long-term transportation needs.More than a dozen members of the Tarrant County delegation -- including all four state senators who represent the county -- attended the briefing on transportation, a topic that state leaders consider one of the top priorities in the 83rd Legislature. It was the delegation's first meeting since the session began last week.Suhm and Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, presented essentially the same message -- that the state's structure for funding transportation is no longer doing the job in a state that outpaced the rest of the nation in population growth during the past decade."If we don't address the underlying problem at some point, we're going to be in deep trouble," Suhm said. "The current system is broken," said Morris.Gasoline tax debateThe state's principal sources of transportation revenue are the gasoline tax, which hasn't been increased since 1991, and the vehicle registration fee. There have been repeated calls for increasing the gas tax, but Gov. Rick Perry has repeatedly resisted that option as part of his long-standing opposition to new or increased taxes.Dave Montgomery is the Star-Telegram's Austin bureau chief, 512-739-4471Twitter: @daveymontgomeryHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
