11/19/03-Highway interests have called for increasing Pennsylvania’s fuel tax by as much as 8 cents a gallon to help fix the state’s roads and bridges.
The state now collects about 31 cents a gallon in taxes on diesel fuel – second highest in the nation. The gas tax is 26 cents a gallon.
The Keystone State Transportation Funding Coalition cited an industry-funded study Nov. 12 that says accidents, traffic congestion and vehicle damage resulting from deficient roadways costs the average Pennsylvania driver $812 a year – $7.4 billion statewide.
Winning approval for a fuel tax hike is certain to be an uphill climb.
A spokesman for Rep. Richard Geist, R-Blair, said he wouldn’t support an increase unless Gov. Ed Rendell endorses it first.
A spokeswoman for Rendell said the governor would go along with a fuel tax increase only if legislative leaders do so first.

8/11/03-The transportation committees of the General Assembly are reviewing a proposal that would hike the state’s fuel tax for road maintenance funds.
The current proposal would request a 5- to 8-cent increase per gallon of fuel to be used for additional funding for highway construction and maintenance.
The tax hike would be broken into four parts: 25 percent would go for a Pennsylvania Transportation Department bond; 25 percent to PennDOT for maintenance and bridge work; 25 percent for Turnpike Commission projects; and the rest would be used for local roads.