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collections. In January, he intends to hold three or more such sessions to get input from contractors, the tourism industry, agricultural groups and highway users. Staff from the National Conference of State Legislatures also could explain what other states are doing and Congress' plans for federal funding for highways.
• "I think we need to make sure we've got our ducks in a row before we go out with something," Vehle said.
• The state's motor fuels tax was last raised in 1999, but officials have said the cost of building and maintaining roads and bridges has risen substantially since then. South Dakota's basic fuel tax is 22 cents a gallon for gasoline and diesel fuel. A 3 percent excise tax is imposed on vehicle sales.
• Any effort to boost state road taxes could be tough to get past Gov. Dennis Daugaard, who pledged during his 2010 campaign that he would not raise any taxes except in an emergency.
• "The governor has been consistent in his opposition to raising taxes and he would not plan to support what is apparently being proposed," Tony Venhuizen, Daugaard's communication director, said in an email.
• Vehle said he hopes the governor would consider an increase in road taxes because he has supported efforts to build up South Dakota's infrastructure. And the senator argues the gas tax is more of a user fee than a tax.
• "Everyone wants good roads and safe bridges. It's just that no one wants to pay for it. Well, someone's got to pay for it," the senator said.
• Vehle said if a consensus can be reached on highway funding, he and others could spend the next year explaining the issue to the public before the Legislature votes in 2015 on any tax increases.
• The 2011 Legislature passed a bill to increase vehicle registration fees, commonly called license plate fees, to give counties, cities and townships more money for roads and bridges. Daugaard vetoed the bill, saying it would unfairly hit South Dakotans while the economy was still fragile, but the House and Senate overrode the veto to pass the measure over the governor's objections.
• Also in 2011, Vehle shelved a separate proposal that would have raised the state gas tax and the excise tax on vehicle sales tax, the revenue sources used by the Transportation Department to maintain and build state highways, after it became clear it wouldn't pass.
• Vehle said he has not proposed a gas tax increase in the past two years because the state was able to get its highways in good shape with the help of $183 million in federal highway funds provided through President Barack Obama's stimulus measure.
• Even though only a tiny portion of the state's highway system is in bad shape

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