Petition drive to improve Oklahoma's highways and bridges

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Former state transportation director Neal McCaleb is helping start a petition drive to raise Oklahoma's gasoline and diesel taxes.<br/><br/>The proposed constitutional amendment

Wednesday, September 15th 2004, 7:15 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Former state transportation director Neal McCaleb is helping start a petition drive to raise Oklahoma's gasoline and diesel taxes.

The proposed constitutional amendment would increase the tax on gas by 5-cents per gallon and the diesel tax by 8-cents.

The taxes would raise an estimated $150-million to be placed in a trust fund to pay for road and bridge repairs.

McCaleb says the money is critically needed. He says one-fourth of the state's roads are in critical condition and the state leads the nation with bridges needing repair or replacement.

The petition drive is being lead by Oklahomans for Safe Bridges and Roads Association, business groups and the chambers of commerce in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.

They have until December 15th to get 155,000 signatures of registered voters to get the proposal on an election ballot.