Election date set on fuel tax hike proposal

What bothers you more? High gas prices or the condition of Oklahomaâ€™s roads and bridges? <br/><br/>Voters might be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Governor Brad Henry announced that September

Thursday, April 28th 2005, 6:15 am

By: News On 6

What bothers you more? High gas prices or the condition of Oklahomaâ€™s roads and bridges?

Voters might be stuck between a rock and a hard place. Governor Brad Henry announced that September 13th is the date for a special election on State Question 723. It would gradually increase the state gas tax by 5 cents per gallon to help fix state roads and bridges.

About 25-percent of state highways are considered to be in bad shape. And hundreds of thousands of voters signed a petition to get the gas tax on the ballot, but that was before gas prices went through the roof.

Some think there should be another way. Motorist Vernon Monday: "without me having to go deeper in my pocket, I can't afford it as it is. This here has to last me until payday, 2 weeks from now. Going up, going down. I can't afford it."

The state question would create a constitutional amendment, which would prevent the new tax money from being diverted from road projects.