Oklahoma voters would get the final say whether they want a fuel tax hike to fix roads and bridges under a bill approved in a Senate panel.
Drivers in the Sooner State now pay 14 cents a gallon in tax on diesel fuel and 17 cents a gallon on gasoline. A bill sponsored by state Sen. Robert Milacek, R-Enid, would phase in an 8-cent-per-gallon boost on diesel and a 5-cent-per-gallon increase on gas over four years.
When fully implemented, the higher fuel taxes would produce $145 million a year, The Oklahoman reported. Revenue generated would all go to the state’s roads and bridges.
The measure – HB2632 – was approved by the Senate Finance Committee on a 9-1 vote March 23. It now heads to the full Senate.
If given final approval by the Legislature and signed by the governor, the proposal would go before the public in the November general election.
Two other proposals also under consideration in the Legislature would allow voters to decide whether to raise or redistribute the state’s fuel tax for road repairs.
A bill introduced by state Rep. Bill Nations, D-Norman, would increase the diesel tax by 9 cents and the gas tax by 7 cents. The revenue generated would total about $183 million, according to a statement.
Nations’ measure – HB2559 – would fund a variety of transportation needs, including public transit and passenger rail. The bulk of the new money, however, would be placed in the State Highway Construction and Maintenance Fund.
State Rep. Jim Newport, R-Ponca City, has offered an alternate plan to increasing fuel taxes. His bill, HJR1050, would give the highway system some of the motor vehicle tax money going to nonhighway uses.
Newport told the newspaper taking just some of that money and giving it to the highway system could produce enough a year to help the road and bridge program.
“If you sent this to a vote of the people, it would pass,” Newport said.
If the House and Senate pass all the proposals, they would likely go to a House-Senate conference committee, where a final version of legislation would be written.
