Legislation (H.B. 1602) to establish a road usage fee for motor vehicles registered to travel on state roads died when the legislature failed to act. The bill had been held for interim study and may be reintroduced in a future legislative session. Under the bill, the fee would have been based on the equivalent miles per gallon of the vehicle and collected at the time of annual registration of the vehicle. The measure would have imposed its harshest penalties on those vehicles that have the highest miles per gallon rating, with a maximum tax of $149.85. Legislation like this penalizes national efforts to create a more fuel efficient vehicle fleet. As gas tax revenues decrease due to hybrid and electric vehicle ownership, states are looking for new sources of funding for pet projects.
Thank you to those who participated in opposing this bill.
 |
 |