There are many problems that face us every day. Many of those problems can be solved if enough money is spent on them, but we rarely have enough money to do all that we would like to do. One example would be having an old worn out auto, with enough money a person could simply go and purchase a new one. If we cannot afford to buy a new auto, we are forced to maintain and repair the old auto until we can do better. Even with good maintenance the time will come that it is no longer feasible to repair it. Here in Oklahoma we are facing a similar problem with our road infrastructure. Recently a bill passed the House of Representatives that could help solve some of those problems.

Most citizens of Oklahoma assume that the car tag fees and other road use fees are used exclusively for the maintenance of our road system. I have seen studies that suggest that less than half of those monies are actually used on the roads themselves. State Rep. Mike Thompson has filed House Bill 3342, to require that all car tag and other motor vehicle fees now diverted to other uses be dedicated to road maintenance. A new national study shows that major roads in Oklahoma's metro centers are among the nation’s worst.  State Rep. Mike Thompson said the report shows the need to ensure more tax dollars are used for road repair and maintenance. The report found that 41 percent of major Oklahoma City roads are in poor condition and that 40 percent of roads in Tulsa are just as bad. Interstates, freeways and other critical local routes were included in the state.

The funding for our transportation infrastructure has not increased to compensate for the inflation rate. Increased fuel cost has affected our everyday spending, the same factors have radically changed the cost to repair and maintain roads. The roads in Tulsa and Oklahoma City need attention but there is a need for additional funds across the state. The county roads across Oklahoma are also in need of repair. This bill has passed the House of Representatives and now awaits a vote from the state Senate. I feel that there must be provisions in this bill to insure that some of the money trickles down to repair all roads, not just the ones in our bigger cities.