By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist

Will Barack Obama provide the leadership George Bush never did in boosting the U.S. gasoline tax? Unfortunately, Obama's not off to a great start.

This is the time for Obama to ask Americans to sacrifice and pay a higher gas tax that would reduce consumption, rebuild roads and trim dependence on foreign oil.

Bush never took that correct action, even when he had a golden opportunity after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Instead he and Congress sat idly by as oil prices climbed over the years, finally skyrocketed to more than $145 this past summer, before falling in recent months.

But they will go back up again, and Americans need to be prepared. This is a good time to hike the 18.4-cent federal gas tax per gallon, because gasoline prices have dipped below $1.80 a gallon across the nation.

A good starting point would be increasing the tax by 50 cents a gallon, which is being discussed by many economists, energy experts and environmentalists.

Obama's disappointing view?

"Putting additional burdens on American families right now, I think, is a mistake," he said in December.

Other KC area congressmen -- including Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri and Dennis Moore of Kansas -- also are scared to back a federal gasoline tax increase, even for a good causes.

That's too bad, because now is the right time to do exactly that.