DECLINING DOLLARS: State mulls ideas to bring in more money for Highway Dept.

December 3, 2012

COLUMBIA CITY — While several ideas exist at the state level on how to bring in more money for roads and bridges, Whitley County Highway Department Superintendent Michael Barton said raising the current 18-cents-a-gallon gas tax is not one of them.

“A lot of people think property taxes go to the highway department, but we actually receive our money from the gas tax collected throughout the state,” said Barton. “The first thing they do after collecting that money is pay the state police budget and pay the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and whatever is left is divided up each month between the 92 counties in the state.”

While Barton said many counties would like to see the state police and the BMV paid out of the state’s general fund — freeing up more money for the counties — he does not believe it is likely to happen in the near future.

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