Just hours after Gov. Mike DeWine’s State of the State speech in which he argued for an 18 cent gas tax increase to fund road repair and maintenance, state lawmakers cut his request dramatically.
Republican lawmakers are proposing raising Ohio's motor vehicle fuel tax by 10.7 cents on gasoline and 20 cents on diesel, said House Finance Committee chair Scott Oelslager (R-Canton).
He said the increase would be phased in over three years to raise $872 million, and it won’t be indexed to inflation, so it won’t increase every year. DeWine's proposal would increase each year to keep pace with inflation.
“The increase will be divided 60-40 between ODOT and local governments, providing an additional $523 million to ODOT and $349 million to local governments," Oelslager said.
Registration for electric vehicles will be $200, and hybrids $100. In addition, public transit funding would go from $40 million to $70 million.
DeWine had said the 18 cent increase would bring in $1.2 billion, and says this proposal is grossly inadequate.
