Despite its well-documented road maintenance problems and our relatively poor status among the states, South Carolina remains what is known as a donor state. It continues to see about 10 percent of what it collects in federal gas taxes sent to other, often far wealthier states.

South Carolina's congressional delegation continues to work to bring equity on the return of federal road funds to the state. The most recent proposal would have the general allocation for roads increased, with the provision that no state would see any less than 95 percent of its contribution.

Meanwhile, state Department of Transportation officials hope to convince federal officials to allow the state more flexibility in the use of federal revenue for which the state must match. State officials made that and other points to a visiting congressional delegation here this week. Scarce state funds are maximized by the department by using them to match federal money, but the restrictions on how federal road money is spent generally preempts their use on secondary roads.

Those roads have fallen far behind the normal maintenance schedule, to the extent that they are termed "orphan roads" by state highway officials.

Even if the efforts to obtain additional federal funding and regulatory relief are successful, they won't resolve the state's underfunded highway budget. The state DOT can make a case for a gas tax increase based on its backlog of needed roadwork, including the recent list of 2,079 structurally deficient bridges. In 1999, the DOT estimated those needs at $9.4 billion.

Ultimately, the state's inability to adequately maintain roads will result in higher expenditures for the state. When roads deteriorate beyond a certain point, merely resurfacing won't bring them up to standard.

There have been occasional discussions about raising the state gas tax, now 16 cents per gallon, by a nickel. That would bring in about $125 million a year, not enough to deal with the backlog of road and bridge work that needs to be done, but something of a start.

The gas tax serves as a user fee for those who drive on South Carolina's extensive state-maintained system. Through it, revenue is obtained from residents and visitors alike. The gas tax, now one of the lowest in the nation, should be set at figure that better meets the needs of the state road system.

While there may still be some economies that DOT could make, the department has been efficient in the use of revenue, with one of the lowest percentages of administrative expenses in the nation.

The efforts of the state's congressional delegation to redress federal funding inequities should be warmly encouraged by members' constituents. Meanwhile, state legislators should look beyond the political liabilities of raising the state gas tax and provide the department with revenue more nearly sufficient to meet the needs of the state.