The South Park Bridge is in even worse condition than the Alaskan Way Viaduct and will likely fall down during the next big earthquake, if it doesn't stop working altogether first.

The Page One story in this week's issue says the South Park Bridge gets a "sufficiency rating" of 8 of a possible 100 points, while the viaduct is rated 9 of 100.

Does this make us feel safer when we use either?

A host of top Seattle corporation leaders, including Microsoft's Steve Balmer, Boeing's Alan Mulally and Safeco's Mike McGavick have joined a host of political and business leaders is saying that our regional transportation planning stinks. They say without adequate work in this area, gridlock will eventually rob our beautiful region of its charm and businesses will begin to reconsider staying here.

Imagine what could happen if gridlock prevents Nucor from getting its recyclable metal or its ability to promptly ship its rebar product to construction projects around the world. Would they consider moving?

Fewer jobs here means fewer employment opportunity for West Seattle residents. It is that simple.

The bridge and viaduct are only two of over 250 transportation statewide projects that an increase in the gas tax could help pay for over the next decade. Fix them or lose them.

With that in mind, we have decided to join various groups that are opposing Initiative 912 on the ballot on Nov. 8.

The initiative would repeal the gas tax increase of 9 cents over four years that the Washington Legislature approved this year.

A Kirkland group sprung to life right after the governor signed the tax hike. Over 400,000 signatures were collected in a bit over a month.

Don C. Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business, in an op-ed article on Page 10 of this issue, says his group split evenly for and against Initiative 912, but the group's board decided to oppose it.

He notes that the tie-ups of traffic will cost much more than the 9 cents a gallon.

We agree. The cost to business, thus to taxpayers, will be much higher without the gas tax hike, despite the specter of $3 gasoline. West Seattle has a need for that viaduct to be replaced and that tax can help pay for it. The South Park Bridge is used by 24,000 cars a day and 10 million tons of freight is moved across it each year.

We must not let the constant naysayers and pinch-pennies scare us. The cost of the tax is a great deal cheaper to our future than doing nothing.

Vote against 912.