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Transportation task force wants Missouri lawmakers and voters to raise fuel tax

MODOT

Raising Missouri’s fuel tax leads offa list of recommendationsreleased Tuesday by a joint House-Senate task force.

The 21st Century Missouri Transportation System Task Force is recommending a 10 cent hike in the gas tax to 27 cents a gallon. It also wants to raise the diesel fuel tax to 29 cents a gallon. Both the gas and diesel taxes have been set at 17 cents for roughly two decades.

State Rep. Kevin Corlew, R-Kansas City, saida fuel tax hikewould provide an additional $430 million a year for roads and bridges. 

Credit MODOT

“The same purchasing power that 17 cents had in 1996 is now only 8 cents,” he said. “Just to keep up with inflation, we need an adjustment.”

The proposed fuel tax hike would have to be passed by both the legislature and Missouri voters. The House refused to take up a proposed fuel tax hike in 2015. And voters rejected a 0.75 percent sales tax hike for transportation in 2014.

Corlew suggests that voters are open to shelling out a bit more for gas if it means better roads and bridges.

“There’s a tremendous nexus between filling up your car and then getting on the road,” he told reporters Tuesday. “We’re confident that the people of Missouri, that spoke to us, would support that effort.”

The task force held several public meetings across the state during part of 2017.  It also recommends setting aside between $50 million and $70 million a year for mass transit, airports, river ports, and transporting the elderly and disabled.

Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Dan Mehan supports the task force’s recommendations.

“Now it’s time to begin the discussion that will put at least some of these ideas into action,” he said in a written statement. “Missouri can’t afford to see our natural advantage as a central state diminished by a poorly-funded transportation system. We need to invest for our future and we hope the Missouri General Assembly will take action.”

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.