Letters: Raise taxes to fix our roads

How can Gov. Henry McMaster ask President Trump and U.S. taxpayers for $5 billion of borrowed money for our roads when he won’t ask South Carolinians to do anything?

The fuel tax and vehicle sales tax need to be raised. Electric and hybrid vehicles need to pay a fee for road usage. Raise taxes and fees, then reorganize the Transportation Department.

No amount of reorganization or auditing will find the billions that South Carolina needs. It simply costs a massive amount of money to maintain and construct roads and bridges.

Whether or not the Transportation Department is under the governor is immaterial; the money still will not be there if taxes aren’t raised.

All funding for the next five years should be restricted to roads and bridges — no parking lots, sidewalks, walking trails or economic development.

This story was originally published April 1, 2017 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Letters: Raise taxes to fix our roads."