by Andy Chow
A group of lawmakers is looking into where Ohio is falling short when it comes to repairing roads and bridges, and how to bring in more money.
Twenty-eight cents from every gallon of gas sold goes to the motor fuel tax fund, most of which is directed to the Ohio Department of Transportation.*
Grace Gallucci of the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency said urban areas are having a tough time funding local road improvement projects, and even more of that fuel tax revenue should go to Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton counties.
“The revenue, for the most part, is raised in those three metropolitan areas,” Gallucci said. “There should be an equitable return on that investment and I can tell you, based on our analysis, there is not.”
Other suggestions lawmakers heard include raising the fuel tax, matching it to inflation and raising the $20 cap currently on the license plate tax.
Correction: An earlier version of this story had said that 28 cents from every gallon of gas goes to the state transportation department. In fact, the money goes to the motor fuel tax fund, most of which is directed to ODOT.