Ruth Ashby is a resident of Lincoln.
The following was also sent to every member of the Delaware Senate and House of Representatives on Sept. 27.
The idea that transportation infrastructure in the state of Delaware should be funded with a gasoline tax is based on misguided thinking that “cars” use roads when, in fact, “people” use roads. Every single person in this state uses them, whether they own a car or not. We all use them to get around, to get to where we are going, to have things delivered, to get exercise, in emergencies, and the list goes on. They are a basic necessity, the cost of which should not fall solely on the shoulders of car owners in our state. Even more importantly, the good people of Delaware who are trying to help our environment by purchasing an alternative fuel vehicle should not be singled out and saddled with an additional cost, when they are actually benefiting the air quality. I don’t care how many other states have placed a charge on their AFVs; Delawareans usually think and act more wisely.
Delaware attracts vehicles on a daily basis from areas around us. Those motorists travel on all our roads, not just the ones with tolls. They travel here for work, for shopping, for entertainment and for their vacations at our beautiful beaches and in our award-winning parks. All of their activities bring revenue or talent to Delaware. They drive everywhere, and yet we continue to place the burden for caring for our roads on the car owners who live here. Now, there will be a double burden on the owners of AFVs, those conscientious people who are actually trying to help our environment. I say “double burden” because, make no mistake, all vehicles require fuel of some sort, and all fuel costs money.
Using a gasoline tax is inherently biased, unequal and unfair. The use of gas depends on so many different variables, not the least of which is the type of vehicle. If we focus momentarily on daily commutes for work, we can ask ourselves, “Should those who require pickup trucks in their line of business be penalized for going to work because they must use a truck that gets lower gas mileage?” If they purchase a hybrid truck to try to control their business costs, is it right to charge them a large fee for their wisdom? We all need to make a living, and for most people, that means driving to get to a place of employment. There simply is no way to use a gasoline tax to equitably distribute the costs of maintaining our roads.
In my own situation, I am a retired 70-year-old resident. I drive a 2014 Toyota Prius hybrid. In 2024, I drove 11,044 miles. I got an average of 44 mpg with gasoline. That was pretty good in 2014, but now, many newer cars get similar mileage. I used 247 total gallons of gas, with a total cost of $804.64. At a rate of 23 cents per gallon in 2024, I paid $56.81 in gas taxes. Now, I am being told that, despite the fact that I purchase gas and pay the taxes associated with it, I will need to pay an additional $60 a year simply to continue owning my car. If you are a reasonable person, you can understand how each and every individual in this state has a different scenario in his or her life that makes basing the funding of our Department of Transportation and its activities on the unequal payment of gas taxes completely inequitable.
I propose that we find a better way to fund our roads. Perhaps it could simply become a line item in our state’s annual budget. Maybe it could be added as a fee paid by each taxpayer on his or her income tax return. This would include those living in other states who work in Delaware. We all use our roads. We all should pay for them. In the end, we should encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles to keep Delaware and the air we breathe cleaner.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
