Higher education pays off handsomely for society. Yet on a nationwide basis, states' support for higher education per full-time-equivalent student has fallen to just $6,290, the lowest in 15 years. A dedicated source of funds for higher education is problematic. But what if state and federal lawmakers applied the impeccable logic of the gas tax to develop a consensus for a higher-education support strategy? For good measure, what if that gas-tax-style consensus also reflected the highest national priorities, like assuring that needy students aren't shut out of college because of their own or the institutions' financial strains, and holding colleges accountable for better educating students while keeping costs in check? It's a tall order, with as many paths to a solution as there are lawmakers, lobbyists, and advocates. The author discusses three principles that should be part of the considerations.