WITH the recent congressional budget negotiations putting a spotlight on the need to raise revenues, and with our transportation infrastructure in many places crumbling before our eyes, it is time to consider modernizing the gas tax. Doing so would help fill the budget gap while updating and improving our transportation systems.

The Highway Trust Fund depends on federal fuel taxes for its finances. And those taxes have remained stuck for two decades at 18.4 and 24.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and diesel, respectively. State taxes tack on another 31.1 cents per gallon on average.

via How to Overhaul the Gas Tax – NYTimes.com.