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Not that I would not advocate the same policy in the US, I really would, but have any of you looked at the message boards on GassBuddy.com?
I'd be scared of these people if the taxes went up.
Over the past year and a half, there has practically been a tax revolt when our state reset it's tax ($/gallon). It's reset every 6-months on the basis of average wholesale gasoline prices coming into the state.
What apparently does not occur for these people is that, yes, oil production is decreasing and prices of nearly all oil-derived products are increasing. But imagine their surprise when they found out that road maintenance can't be performed because thsoe products that require petroleum based products for maintenance have increased in cost.
Obviously a disconnect somewhere. Apparently they've bought the line of "trickle-down" (more like "trickled upon") tax theory that says the more you reduce taxes, the more tax revenue you receive.
The logical conclusion of this theory, therefore, must be infinite tax revenue is received once the tax rate is zero.
They don't have to "buy a line of 'trickle down'" to oppose the tax increase - excuse me, "reset". All they have to do is to figure - rightly or wrongly, and whatever that means - that your state is already getting more than enough of their money in general and they see no reason why it should get even more. This is not necessarily connected with highway maintenance, as they may feel that your state is getting so much of their money that it ought to find some elsewhere in its budget.
Except the common complaint is the conditions of the roads.
As I said...a disconnect.
As an aside, the fall of 2003, a local candidate and I had this rather interesting 'discussion' (it was civil, just a very strong difference in opinion). Her position was: the problem that would have to be grappled with is having enough cars for (low-income) people who wanted them (so they could "go to their jobs" which she also hoped to encourage by being on the local council).
Here we are at local election time and four years later. Gasoline has gone up by 75% (meaning highway tax revenue has also increased). Can't say there have been many "new jobs" created but it sure is much more expense to drive to work than it was four years ago (for those that don't car pool or ride the bus, though the mass transit system has improved somewhat).