Motorists reeling from record gas prices are facing additional bad news in South Dakota.
Hundreds of miles of state roads are deteriorating, and state and federal funds to pay for road repairs are declining rapidly. So, state legislators are looking for money.
"The existing system is essentially broke," state Transportation Secretary Darin Bergquist told legislators on a special committee created to study highway needs and revenue. "We have two contrary philosophies going on in this country.
"Forever, we have essentially funded our highway infrastructure based on a tax on fossil fuels. At the same time, we in the country are doing everything we can to reduce our reliance on fossil fuel. The two are 180-degrees opposed to each other."
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