Reduce tax on gasoline and eliminate need for tolls

To the Editor:

Tolling is not needed to repair Rhode Island’s bridges and state roads. Rhode Island should just build truck stops on its Interstate Highways and reduce the tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by 20 cents per gallon.

Drivers buy their fuel based on convenience and price. Buying fuel in Rhode Island would be convenient and Rhode Island would have the lowest fuel prices. Many large truck drivers and other vehicle drivers who now pass through Rhode Island would buy their fuel in Rhode Island, all

Rhode Island drivers would buy their fuel in Rhode Island and many Massachusetts and Connecticut drivers would buy their fuel in Rhode Island. The number of gallons of fuel sold in Rhode Island each year would more than triple. Over $300 million would be raised each year in Rhode Island to repair all bridges and roads in Rhode Island.

Massachusetts and Connecticut are too big and couldn’t afford to reduce their fuel taxes. Rhode Island would always have the advantage. Rhode Island would have the money without borrowing to match the available federal transportation funds. In 10 years, Rhode Island could raise more than $3 billion to repair all the bridges and all the state roads in Rhode Island.

Kenneth Berwick

Smithfield