Reuters: U.S. States See Favorable Conditions for Gas Tax Hikes
media mentionLow gas prices, a desperate need for revenue to fix crumbling roads, and a post-election period that gives politicians the space to tackle controversial issues have breathed life into efforts to raise the taxes, said Carl Davis, research director at the non-partisan Washington D.C.-based Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.
In all, 21 state legislatures will consider bills aimed at increasing gas taxes this year, Davis said.
“Some states that have gone 10 or 20 or almost 30 years without a gas tax rate increase, and they’ve seen the purchasing power of their taxes decimated by inflation. Those rates need to be updated,” he said. “There are states that have a lot of catching up to do.”