3/3/2020 Senate votes to raise gas tax, but additional highway funding isn’t guaranteed - Anchorage Daily News

Alaska Legislature votes to raise gas tax, but additional highway funding isn’t guaranteed

Author: James Brooks Updated: 3 hours ago Published 13 hours ago

JUNEAU — The Alaska Senate voted 12-5 on Monday to double the Alaska’s lowest-in-the-nation state gas tax from 8 cents per gallon to 16 cents per gallon.

Sen. , R-Fairbanks, speaks in favor of his proposed gas tax increase Monday, March 2, 2020 on the oor of the Alaska State Senate. (James Brooks / ADN)

The decision, which must be approved by the House of Representatives and Gov. Mike Dunleavy before it becomes law, also raises the state’s marine fuel tax and increases registration fees for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. It does not change taxes on home heating fuel, jet fuel or aviation gasoline. https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2020/03/03/alaska-senate-votes-to-raise-gas-tax-but-additional-highway-funding-isnt-guaranteed/ 1/3 3/3/2020 Alaska Senate votes to raise gas tax, but additional highway funding isn’t guaranteed - Anchorage Daily News The tax increase is expected to raise $33.8 million per year for the state, according to the Alaska Department of Revenue.

The proposal came from Sen. Click Bishop, R-Fairbanks, who has worked for six years on the idea.

“Our potholes are turning into ruts, and ruts are turning into bigger and bigger liabilities for Alaskans,” he said.

Transportation and trucking companies testied in favor of the increase, saying poorly maintained roads have cost an extraordinary amount in vehicle maintenance.

Gas tax revenue has been trending downward, according to state gures. That decrease, coupled with budget cuts, has forced the state to close road maintenance stations.

Bishop said money from the tax increase would be used for road maintenance, and no one spoke on the Senate oor against him.

But Sen. , R-Palmer, said after the vote there’s no guarantee the money would go to transportation. Alaska’s constitution prohibits dedicated funds; a future version of the could use fuel tax money for another purpose.

Hughes, who voted against the bill, worries the state could cut other road maintenance support, leaving spending at even as tax revenue rises.

Bishop said Department of Transportation ofcials have promised that won’t happen.

"They have testied that if this bill passes, they will certainly use this money to improve our roadways," he said.

In addition, he said he trusts that the legislators will hold the administration to that promise.

Hughes believes Matanuska-Susitna Borough residents who commute to Anchorage will pay disproportionately more than drivers in other parts of the state.

“We’re going to pay the most, and there’s no guarantee that we’ll be proportionally returned,” she said.

The other three senators representing the Mat-Su and Eagle River joined Hughes in opposing the bill. Sen. , R-Eagle River, said she wants to see reductions in state spending.

Sen. , D-Anchorage, also voted against the tax increase, but the longtime supporter of oil-tax reform said he did so for reasons other than the legislation itself.

https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legislature/2020/03/03/alaska-senate-votes-to-raise-gas-tax-but-additional-highway-funding-isnt-guaranteed/ 2/3 3/3/2020 Alaska Senate votes to raise gas tax, but additional highway funding isn’t guaranteed - Anchorage Daily News “I’m not going to be supporting taxes on working families as long as we’re continuing to give out $1 billion per year in oil tax credits to some of the wealthiest corporations in the world,” he said.

About this Author

James Brooks

Juneau-based James Brooks covers state government, the Alaska Legislature and general assignments for the Daily News. He previously reported and edited for the Juneau Empire, Kodiak Daily Mirror and Fairbanks Daily News- Miner.

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