Paving season is underway, and Delaware County's wheel tax will be used to repave roads and fill potholes that have fill the streets of Muncie.
The legislation that imposed the tax was passed in 2009 by the Delaware County Council, adding a $25 per year tax to car registration across the county.
The revenue created by the tax will help justify the 80 percent increase in funds Muncie hopes to put toward increasing road quality this year.
Last year, Muncie spent just under $500,000 on the pavement of 15.7 miles of road. This year, the city expects to spend nearly $900,000 on its roads before the paving season is over.
Muncie native and Ball State graduate student Aaron Chasteen said he doesn't think the tax is necessary.
"Most of the main roads in Muncie are doing pretty well. Although it wouldn't be the end of the world if I had to pay the tax, I'm not sure how badly it's really needed," Chasteen said.
It isn't apparent yet exactly how much the city will bring in from the tax altogether, but in the months of January and February, the tax yielded about $132,864, according to a Star Press article.
The city has distributed current funds from the new tax to focus on a number of specific areas around town, including parts of Reserve Street and Petty Road as well as other problem areas.
According to the Star Press article, $185,900 has been unallocated in the current plan and will be used to take care of other areas of concern.
Other sources of funding for the city's road projects include the state gas tax as well as some extra funds coming from the Muncie Sanitary District to help fix a part of 18th street, which was damaged during a sewer project.
Ball State sophomore Mathias Timberman said he is happy to see the money being used to improve road quality around Muncie.
"If the city actually uses it for what they say they are going to, then it's a great thing," Timberman said. "Some of the roads just need to be torn up and repaved."
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