The adoption of House Joint Resolution 5 will allow the people of Alaska to vote for the opportunity to place a dedicated highway fund, marine highway fund and a dedicated harbor fund within the Alaska Constitution. By establishing a dedicated fund, Alaska's citizens might be more inclined to accept an increase in the highway and marine fuel tax, if they knew the money would be spent specifically on the maintenance of our highways and harbor facilities. All states dedicate motor fuel taxes, but states vary in whether the dedication is established by statute or constitution. In Alaska, AS 43.40.010 directs that revenues from motor fuel taxes shall be deposited in a special highway fuel tax account in the state general fund and that the legislature may appropriate funds from this account for transportation purposes. By placing this dedication in the constitution, all monies collected shall be mandated for maintenance.
Transportation is a fundamental component in society's infrastructure.
A safe, viable and efficient transportation system provides a reliable corridor towards the other factors in a community's foundation. These other elements include public safety, educational opportunities, proper health care and economic growth. Proper maintenance on the transportation system ensures that all of these underpinnings of public policy will be given a fair chance of delivery and being achieved. The maintenance portion of the Alaska Department of Transportation's budget has long been inadequately funded. In the wintertime it leads to a lack of snow removal in some areas and poor response times in other areas.