7-28-05 - Will Oklahomans pay higher gas prices in exchange for better roads? A group called Oklahomans for Safe Bridges and Roads hopes so. Voters will head to the polls in September to decide just that.

On September 13, Oklahomans will vote on state question 7-23, and if it passes, each gallon of gas sold in the state will eventually be taxed an extra 5 cents in 3 years time

The thinking behind the fuel use tax is that if you drive on the roads, you should have to pay to fix them. The price of unleaded gas would increase five cents by 2008. That five-cent tax would stay indefinitely while diesel would go up eight cents.

The coalition says O-DOT doesn't get enough money from the state to make all the repairs. And the longer they wait the worse the roads and bridges get.

But drivers sick of already paying higher gas prices say they don't think this plan will pass.

If it does pass, it will also create a type of lock box amendment, making sure the tax revenue is only used for roads and bridges.

Legislators against state question 7-23 say they're in the process of putting a plan in place to pay for those repairs. And if this question passes, it will put an unnecessary tax on drivers.