I am a road warrior. In the nearly quarter of a century I’ve lived in Mississippi, I’ve spoken in towns from Tunica to Ocean Springs to Natchez to Corinth. And when I hit the road, I am grateful for Mississippi’s roads. Most are in pretty decent shape. The 1987 Highway Program (which has four-lanes so many of our main roads) was nothing short of a Godsend — anyone who remembers being caught behind a long truck on Hwy 25 near Noxapater or trying to pass on Bloody 98 on the way to Mobile would agree.

But wear and tear and increased pavement costs are taking their toll.

I am also not a huge fan of taxes. But a gas tax — a few pennies for specific road projects and to help with repaving efforts — is something I can get behind. It’s a use tax. And not only would it be Mississippi folks like me paying for the upgrade of our highways, it would be the thousands of out-of-state travelers who use our roads as they head through Mississippi. A few pennies per gallon is cheaper than a new front end or a new rim from hitting a pothole.

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