Gas prices are slowly ticking up again. AAA estimates the national average at $2.17 per gallon, compared with $2.05 per gallon a month ago. That’s still much better than a year ago, when the average was $3.65 per gallon.
Even so, it’s an inopportune time for the General Assembly to, essentially, give its stamp of approval to a gas tax increase. From the N&O:
To generate more money for state road and bridge repairs, the Senate proposed Thursday to cancel a 2-cent cut in the state motor fuels tax.
The tax is scheduled to drop to 27.9 cents a gallon on July 1. The current rate, 29.9 cents, has been the highest allowed by state law since 2006.
But the Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill making 29.9 cents the minimum fuel tax rate, instead of the maximum.
…
The measure passed on a 34-12vote, with some Republicans supporting it but no Democrats opposing it.
If affirmed in a final Senate vote and by the House and Gov. Beverly Perdue, the gas tax will remain at 29.9 cents for the rest of the year. It could go higher in the future.
North Carolina has the 14th highest combined local, state, and federal gas tax in the United States, according the American Petroleum Institute. Need I point out that we wouldn’t be in this pickle if elected officials had used transportation funds for, well, transportation?
