It is rare to hear support voiced for tollbooths — we know of no one who enjoys turning out their pockets and digging into their stash of change when driving across their state. But when it comes to funding road construction in this economic climate, we have to voice our support for the dreaded toll.

Although he had previously forsworn it, Gov. Jim Doyle recently announced that he will consider instituting tolls on Wisconsin highways as the state continues to look for ways to fund construction in the face of falling tax revenues. Under the current tax system, the state transportation costs are paid for by the gas tax and with licensing and registration fees.

With recent instability and increases in gas prices, people across the country are cutting their gas consumption. Wisconsin has higher than average gas prices, and its citizens are no exception to the pattern of reduced spending. As reduced consumption continues and new technology is pursued to further decrease dependency on gasoline, Wisconsin needs to find a new source to finance its transportation costs.

This year's $5.7 billion gap between state revenue and anticipated spending highlights the need for Wisconsin to get creative in looking for new funding sources. As an alternative to simply hiking up income taxes, implementing highway tolls is a good solution because it ensures that those who use the roads most are the ones who pay for their construction and maintenance.

Many Marquette students call Illinois home and have experienced the driving through the many tollbooths in the Prairie State. Technology like the I-PASS — an electronic transponder that automatically deducts toll from auto-owner accounts — improves on the traditional toll system by keeping traffic moving.

Enacting a highway toll would have the added benefit of encouraging people to car pool, which would help our environment and ultimately help people save money. We are definitely in favor of initiatives that inspire people to "go green."

All considered, we support tollbooths as a funding source for Wisconsin's transportation needs. Decreased gas consumption means the gas tax is no longer a reliable method of financing this important expense, and tollbooths ensure that those who use roads most will pay for their upkeep and construction and also encourage people to carpool. While Gov. Doyle had originally promised to never implement tolls as a method of funding transportation, we support his decision to reconsider this option in the face of new economic challenges before our state and country.