To the Editor:

Every time you fill up your car, rent a vehicle or get charged for a service at the DMV, you pay a tax. Those taxes go to a fund that’s supposed to pay for state road and bridge repairs.

Instead of investing in our infrastructure and making roads safer, the state is siphoning off most of the funds to pay for all sorts of unrelated expenses.

It’s not right.

That’s why I’m supporting the Bridge and Road Investment and Dedicated Fund Guaranteed Enforcement (BRIDGE) Reform Act. This bill (S1917A), which has passed the Senate twice previously, would ensure that taxes and fees collected for the fund actually get used on rebuilding, replacing and reconditioning highways and bridges.

The Observer-Dispatch editorial board recently wrote in support of my call for legislation, and said I was “dead-on” in my criticism of the ongoing raid of highway and bridge funds.

“Our infrastructure is a mess and requires every tax dollar and fee collected to make improvements,” the board wrote.

I couldn’t agree more.

I’m going to work with my Senate colleagues to make sure we get this bill passed again this session. Our safety is too important to not use this fund for its intended purpose.

Joseph A. Griffo

Assemblyman (Potsdam, Massena)