State Legislators Support Hiking Federal Gas Tax

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), meeting in New Orleans Friday, approved a motion to call on Congress to shore up the diminishing Highway Trust Fund with an increase in the federal gas tax. Last hiked in 1993, the 18.4-cent tax is the primary funding source for federal highway projects. Increased use of fuel-efficient vehicles and non-petroleum fuels as well as cutbacks Americans have made on their driving have negatively impacted the revenue collected from the tax. "The time has come for policymakers at all levels of government to take a serious look at transportation funding," Oregon State Sen....