© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Negotiations Continue on Gas Tax Hike

a photo of gas pumps
DAN KONIK
/
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
State lawmakers have disagreed on how much to increase the gas tax to support infrastructure improvements

Ohio lawmakers continue to work behind closed doors on hammering out an agreement over how much to increase Ohio’s gas tax. 

Gov. Mike DeWine wants an 18-cent increase on a gallon of gas. The Ohio House has approved an increase just under 11 cents. The Ohio Senate has proposed a six-cent increase. And Senate spokesman John Fortney said taxpayers have their own ideas.

“Certainly, a lot of calls, the majority of calls that have come into the senate offices, have been overwhelmingly against a major increase in the gas tax.”

But DeWine says every cent of his proposed gas tax is needed, just to maintain Ohio’s roads and bridges. And, somehow, he and the legislature will need to agree on something in the coming hours because the transportation budget has to be approved and signed by Sunday.