A large part of South Carolina’s problem is it relies on the gasoline tax as the primary source for funding the creation, improvement and repair of the transportation infrastructure. The gas tax has not been increased since 1987, but much has taken place in almost three decades. More cars are on roads, new roads are needed, and cars have gotten more efficient and therefore are using less gasoline. Less money is brought in when less gas is sold at the pump. At the same time, even if lawmakers found the courage to raise the gas tax, Gov. Nikki Haley has threatened to veto the bill.

Rep. Gary Simrill, the chairman of a special House committee studying the infrastructure challenges, has discussed several ideas before his committee. One, a “fix it first, fund it second” mentality has political appeal but really delays a long-term solution and essentially transfers some of the burden for fixing roads to local governments.

Yes, the state DOT should be “fixed” to ensure it spends every dollar wisely and takes politics out of funding decisions. But such agency improvements will go only so far in taking care of aging infrastructure. Also, pushing the responsibility for thousands of miles of roads onto counties doesn’t fix those roads, and merely shifts the burden from the state to counties.