There is some troubling talk on Capitol Hill these days we can only call preposterous.

A special commission is urging the government to raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over five years.

What? Raise taxes on gasoline? Talk about throwing kerosene on the fire. This is one proposal we hope doesn't get the time of day by our congressmen.

Naturally, the plan has roots from beneficial needs. The gasoline tax is seen as part of a sweeping overhaul designed to ease traffic congestion and repair the nation's decaying bridges and roads.

The recommendation is coming after a two-year study by the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission. The commission was thrust into existence to recommend changes after the devastating bridge collapse in Minneapolis last August. The conclusion of the commission warns urgent action is needed to avoid future disasters.

Under the recommendation, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for unleaded gasoline would be increased annually for five years -- by anywhere from 5 cents to 8 cents each year -- and then indexed to inflation afterward to help fix the infrastructure, expand public transit and highways as well as broaden railway and rural access.

President Bush has resisted any increase of the federal gas tax, which has been frozen since 1993. Texas, too, is not a fan of a national gasoline tax, and for good reason.

Texas lawmakers have been unenthusiastic about a federal gas tax hike because the state generally gets back less than 90 percent of what Texans pay on that tax. Texas officials increasingly have relied on toll roads for new or expanded roads.

First, we're not crazy about toll roads, but we know for sure Texas will not get enough federal money to meet our road needs through a national gas tax. We have enough trouble funding our own road building projects without having to help build them in other states.

The Minneapolis bridge collapse killed 13 people and injured about 100. The tragic incident emphasized the decaying infrastructure and drew new calls for additional spending. The commission says it will cost $225 billion each year for the next 50 years to keep up with America's infrastructure needs.

Those are staggering figures, but a gasoline tax is ruinous to the American dream. We should be investigating on how to keep that dream alive rather than killing it.