The transportation finance bill sounds like a good idea, but it bites off more than Minnesotans can chew.

In the years the economy is down, opponents of transportation finance bills in Minnesota say it is not the proper year to change how roads are financed. When the economy is up, they say because of the extra revenue, there is no need to change how roads are financed.

And nothing ever gets done.

Other than a gas tax increase of 8.5 cents in 2008 that required a veto-override — after the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed into the Mississippi River, killing 13 and injuring 145 and spurring lawmakers into action — Minnesota hasn’t passed a measure to change how roads, bridges, tunnels, commuter trains, sidewalks and bikeways are paid for since 1988.

Meanwhile, the world is changing. The cars are becoming more fuel efficient, meaning gas taxes alone will not cover infrastructure costs. Federal officials have altered how they allocate funding, focusing on states that can pay for at least half of a designated project. If Minnesota cannot pay its share, other states get that much-desired federal money. Transportation advocates note that the bulk of Minnesota’s roads were built in the 1960s and ’70s, and they are wearing out. More than 1,000 bridges are deficient, and each year we wait to make repairs, the costs go up.

Something needs to be done, yes, but at 12 to 15 cents more a gallon? The proposal to add a 5 percent wholesale sales tax to fuel purchases would do just about that.

The transportation finance bill is moving through legislative committees. The state presently charges 28.5 cents, with the federal gas tax bringing the tax total per gallon to 47 cents. The proposal of 15 cents more creates sticker shock.

The measure also fails to acknowledge that Minnesota’s population has changed. Fewer people are living in rural areas, yet Minnesota’s laws and red tape make taking away less-used roads difficult. Therefore, we perpetually maintain unneeded roads. It’s easier to close a school in Minnesota than it is to remove a road.

Some counties wisely have passed wheelage taxes, including Freeborn County. That’s good.

Another 6 cents in state gas taxes seems more politically feasible than 15 cents. Perhaps then raise it another 6 cents in five years. It seems the transportation advocates went for a larger tax all at once simply because the DFL Party was in power, and it is known for approving taxes.

It’s like with Republicans, funding up and down the line gets starved to death. And with DFLers, it gorges. Minnesotans are looking for moderates.

We urge lawmakers to pass something to pay for roads and keep the federal tap flowing — but please consider the cost of getting around and how every dime impacts the family budget and the statewide economy. Keep it reasonable.