January 27, 2010http://detnews.com/article/20100127/METRO05/1270409Michigan lawmakers introduce plan to hike state gas tax

TOM GREENWOOD
The Detroit News Lansing -- Two state representatives have introduced bills in Lansing that call for an increase of the state tax and both gasoline and diesel fuel.
The bills -- sponsored by Rep. Dick Ball, R-Bennington Township, and Pam Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township, call for raising the gas tax incrementally until motorists would eventually be paying 27 cents per gallon for both gasoline and diesel by Jan. 1, 2013.
Currently, the gas tax is 19 cents per gallon and 15 cents per gallon for diesel.
If passed, the first tax increase would go into effect on March 1 when the gas tax jumps by 4 cents per gallon for gasoline [[to 23 cents per gallon) and by 6 cents per gallon for diesel, raising it from 15 cents to 23 cents per gallon.
Ball and Byrnes said the bills would initially raise $240 million a year in additional revenues, and when fully implemented in 2013, raising $480 million a year thereafter.
Currently, Michigan is facing an annual transportation budget shortfall of $3 billion per year.
"Michigan's transportation infrastructure is at a critical juncture," Ball said. "These increases will allow our state, counties and cities to make the critical repairs our roads and bridges need, while also ensuring we can put forth the matching funds necessary for federal dollars."
""The poor quality of Michigan roads and bridges has already passed the crisis stage," said Byrnes, chair of the House Transportation Committee.
"This is neither a Republican nor Democrat issue. This is a Michigan issue -- an issue of doing what's right for Michigan drivers, businesses and taxpayers."
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