Transportation Coalition Supports Responsible Fuel Tax Increase (PRESS RELEASE)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK, October 24, 2017 – The president of TRUST (Transportation Revenues Used Strictly for Transportation), an advocacy coalition dedicated to rebuilding Oklahoma’s transportation infrastructure, issued the following statement today regarding HB 1035x, legislation which includes a $0.6 per gallon excise tax increase for gasoline and diesel fuel. The measure was approved this afternoon by the House Joint Committee on Appropriations and Budget.
Neal McCaleb said, “A longstanding component of the TRUST legislative agenda is supporting an overall increase in transportation funding. For Oklahoma to prosper economically, we must have modern and safe highways, roads and bridges. Presently, Oklahoma ranks 49th in the nation in fuel tax rates with our gasoline tax $0.15 per gallon below the national average and $0.42 below the highest rate, and our diesel tax $0.18 per gallon below the national average and $0.80 below the highest rate.”
“Implementing a responsible increase on motor fuel excise taxes, and allocating those new revenues to transportation-related projects, will allow Oklahoma to continue to build the type of transportation infrastructure system needed in a 21st century economy. Due to the legislature’s commitment since 2006, tremendous progress has been made on the state and county highway systems, and the members of TRUST support a modest fuel excise tax increase to continue that momentum.”
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Contact: John Cox
TRUST communications director
405.255.8117
restoreTRUST.org
Posted on Tue, October 24, 2017
by John Cox