Every state, and the federal government, levies taxes on both gasoline and diesel fuel. These “gas taxes” are the most important source of funding for transportation infrastructure projects across the country. In recent years, however, gas tax revenues have fallen short of infrastructure spending needs. This is primarily due to the fact that fixed, per-gallon gas tax rates have often stagnated while construction costs have grown. Though improvements in vehicle fuel-efficiency have also played a role in this revenue shortfall. The following resources provide information on the benefits of using gas taxes to fund transportation, the flawed design of many gas taxes, and reform options available for improving the adequacy, sustainability, and fairness of gas taxes.
Policy Briefs
- State Gasoline Taxes: Built to Fail, But Fixable – 02/2017
- The Federal Gas Tax: Long Overdue for Reform – 05/2014
Featured Reports
- How Long Has it Been Since Your State Raised Its Gas Tax? – 01/2017
- Most Americans Live in States with Variable-Rate Gas Taxes – 01/2017
- A Federal Gas Tax for the Future – 09/2013
- Building a Better Gas Tax – 12/2011
Other Reports
- Alaska’s Motor Fuel Tax: A National and Historical Outlier -01/2017
- Pay-Per-Mile Tax is Only a Partial Fix -06/2015
- Gas Tax Hits Rock Bottom in Ten States – 05/2014
- Don’t Blame the Gas Tax for High Gas Prices – 05/2013
Testimony
- Achieving Sustainable Infrastructure Revenue with Gas Tax Reform – 08/2016
- Adding Sustainability to the Highway Trust Fund – 06/2015
- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Evaluating the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax Reforms in DC’s Bill 20-199 – 06/2013
Blog Posts
- Five States Change their Gas Tax Rates on Friday; Will New Jersey Join Them? – 06/2016
- 2016 State Tax Policy Trends: Nine States Seriously Considering Gas Tax Increases 2/2016
- January 1 Brings Gas Tax Changes: 5 Cuts and 4 Hikes 12/2015
- California Pay-Per-Mile Program Will Fail if Inflation is Ignored 7/2015
- Gas Tax Changes Take Effect July 1 6/2015
- Sweet Sixteen: States Continue to Take On Gas Tax Reform 5/2015
- Six States Have Raised or Reformed Their Gas Taxes This Year – 4/2015
- Nine States and Counting Have Raised the Gas Tax Since 2013 – 3/2015
- 12 States Could Raise Gas Taxes This Year – 01/2015
- New Year, New Gas Tax Rates – 12/2014
