Proposal Would Raise National Gas Tax To Boost Highway Fund
MANHATTAN BEACH (CBSLA.com) — A new proposal would raise the national gas tax by 12 cents per gallon over two years in order to boost the Highway Trust Fund.
Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tennessee) and Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) came up with the idea to raise the gas tax by six cents per gallon in 2015 and 2016.
KCAL9's Serene Branson reports that the 18.4 cents per gallon national gas tax hasn't been raised for two decades, and an increase in fuel-efficient cars has led to less revenue for the highway fund.
Jeffrey Spring with the Automobile Club of Southern California said they support the higher national tax to reduce congestion and improve road safety.
"Without this kind of tax increase, the Highway Trust Fund may go bankrupt, or is most likely to go bankrupt, by the end of the summer. That means no more transportation projects, so it really is in dire need of funding," he said. "If we could put more money toward fixing the roads, we would have to spend less money in repairing our cars, and it would probably be somewhat of wash over time."
Californians already pay 52.9 cents per gallon in state gas tax and 18.4 cents in national taxes, which comes to a total of 71.3 cents per gallon.
Commuters like South Bay resident Mike Fuller, who spends $90 a week to fill up his FJ Cruiser, doesn't like the idea of paying any more than he already does.
"It doesn't feel good. It feels like I'll be working a lot harder for a lot less money just to get to work," Fuller said.
