12/2/03-Sen. Robert Milacek plans to draft a bill next year that would allow Oklahoma voters to decide whether to raise the state’s fuel tax to help fund road repairs.
Milacek, R-Enid, said his proposal would be slightly different from the bill that stalled in a House-Senate conference committee last session.
The new version would include a gradual increase in diesel fuel and gasoline taxes, just like the earlier bill.
Drivers pay 14 cents a gallon in tax on diesel and 17 cents a gallon on gasoline.
Milacek’s proposal would phase in the tax increases, with diesel hitting its highest level July 1, 2007, and gasoline reaching its top level July 1, 2006.
When fully implemented, the higher fuel taxes would generate $145 million a year, Milacek said.
Unlike last session’s measure, the new legislation would require all revenue to go to the state’s roads and bridges.
The previous version would have given some of the tax money to railroads, airports and waterways.