Charlie Baker says he’ll veto the gas tax increase bill if it makes it to his desk
“I don’t really like to speculate about that stuff, but I said before that we don’t support a gas tax."
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Gov. Charlie Baker reaffirmed his opposition Thursday to a bill that would hike the state’s gas tax, saying he’ll veto the state House of Representatives-backed proposal should it land on his desk.
The tax, which House lawmakers passed Wednesday, would place the Bay State in an “anti-competitive position with folks on the other side of the border,” Baker said Thursday, the Boston Herald reports.
“First of all we have a long way to go in this process,” Baker told reporters. “I don’t really like to speculate about that stuff, but I said before that we don’t support a gas tax and if one were to come through we would veto it.”
The five-cent gas tax bump is one facet of the legislative package, which lawmakers say in total would bring in between $522 million and $612 million annually to fund repairs for the MBTA and state road and bridge maintenance. The bills also include imposing higher fees on trips by ride-sharing companies and the corporate minimum excise tax.
Specifically, lawmakers are proposing raising the state gas tax from 24 to 29 cents per gallon, with a 9-cent-per-gallon total increase on diesel fuel.
Representatives passed the bill 113-40, according to the Herald. The Senate is expected to look over the proposal sometime before its May budget debate.
Baker has long been opposed to upping the gas tax and has instead argued for his own $18 billion transportation bond bill. Last week, expressing disappointment with the House proposal, Baker said his plan is “absolutely” affordable without a tax hike.
“It doesn’t do much for climate,” Baker said of the House bill Thursday. “We have an $18 million bond bill that’s currently before the Legislature. That will give us the dry powder to do a ton of work on local roads, state roads and public transportation. And I hope that something like that bill emerges from this process before the end of the session.”
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