Measure M’s Impact on County’s Traffic, Taxes

Sharen Heath opposes Measure M (Oct. 22) because it uses a sales tax to raise revenue instead of a gas tax.

I agree that we should be paying for streets, roads and highways with an increase in the gas tax. But does she realize that it would take about a 50-cent increase, (up from the present 9 cents per gallon), to raise the same amount of money as a half-cent sales tax increase? I think anyone would recognize that a 50-cent increase in the gas tax for Orange County alone would place an intolerable burden on our retailers of gasoline.

I am a strong advocate of an increased gas tax at the state level. This does not mean that Orange County can fail to pay its fair share. We are surrounded by counties that have already enacted a half-cent sales tax for transportation. We will be unable to compete for state and federal matching funds if we defeat Measure M.

California was once a leader in transportation in the nation. We are now ranked 50th, the bottom, in per capita spending for transportation. Orange County ranks 43rd out of 58 counties in the state in per capita spending. It is time to stop blaming others, assume responsibility and pay for what we get. So far we have paid for congestion and a disintegrating infrastructure.

FLORENCE CAVILEER

Fullerton