Some States in a Pinch May Raise Gasoline Tax

Several states are considering the rare step of raising gasoline taxes to help fill growing budget gaps and potholed roads.

Politicians in California, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Illinois and Oregon, for example, are introducing bills that would raise gasoline taxes for road and bridge repair, as state legislatures around the country begin their new sessions.


In Iowa, top legislators in both houses would support an increase. And in Ohio, a state task force last week recommended raising the gas tax by 13 cents a gallon.

There are political risks in raising taxes of any kind, and legislators have been loath to raise their gas taxes, which are imposed in every state but Alaska. In many states, gas taxes have not been raised for more than a decade and they often are not indexed to inflation.

NY Times