Letter: Pass the roads tax or else resign

We have grossly inadequate, failing roads, with countless South Carolinians mired in daily interstate traffic along with trucks hauling to our factories and ports. Facts seldom disputed by elected officials, yet they fail in resolution. These quagmires drain the state’s productivity, while our elected officials obsess over modestly raising the gas user fee to address the problem. The resulting loss of fuel, productivity and quality of life already constitutes a virtual tax.

Gov. Henry McMaster says “you can’t tax your way to prosperity,” yet every public works project any government ever invested in was tax-funded. Properly selected, strategic expenses on roads are investments benefitting everyone. Issuing a bond, with no recurring revenue source, is stealing our future and simply a Band-Aid until the next election.

Adequate infrastructure is a tremendous benefit to our economy and a basic responsibility of government. Previously wasted road funding doesn’t excuse ignoring today’s problem. Businesses must invest to be productive; likewise, the state needs to invest in our future.

South Carolina anxiously watches for the conference committee, Legislature and governor to resolve the problem. Failing, they all should resign, so we can elect people who will.

This story was originally published May 6, 2017 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Letter: Pass the roads tax or else resign."