House approves 15-cent gas tax increase

CONCORD, N.H. —State lawmakers on Wednesday moved closer to raising the gas tax in New Hampshire.


Supporters said the 15-cent increase in the gas tax is necessary to pay for upgrades to New Hampshire's crumbling roads and bridges. But opponents said the idea would only hurt those who can least afford it and backfire on the economy.

The proposal was expected to pass the House, although many thought the 44-vote margin would be closer. It's just the first step in a long road before higher prices are seen at the pump.

"By not properly investing in roads and bridges, we face an infrastructure crisis that's on its way to becoming a catastrophe, not just a crisis," said bill sponsor Rep. David Campbell, D-Nashua.

Campbell said the increase would be spread out over four years.

The House killed an amendment proposed by former House Speaker Bill O'Brien that would have directed all Highway Fund money to the Department of Transportation and away from the Department of Safety. After the vote, he took a shot across the aisle.

"If we are in session, folks, you might want to stay home and watch your wallet, because this House, this Legislature, is going to come and try to take money out of it," said O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon.

Opponents said increasing the gas tax would have a ripple effect on the price of other goods.

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/politics/House-approves-15-cent-gas-tax-increase/-/9857748/19210102/-/8gxkwtz/-/index.html#ixzz2Mrky20dm

I saw that this morning. I think it is just awful. Just what we don't need with this economy and gas the price that it is!!! How stupid are they?

They do not care about our welfare. This is just one more example of our government making decisions that don't help the majority of the people.

"...because it seemed like a good idea at the time..."

Yea, a good idea for them.

The time is right now. How can that be a good idea??? Stop spending what is already collected on other things and start spending it where it was supposed to go-on highways and bridges.

CONCORD, N.H. —New Hampshire's House voted Wednesday to phase in a 12-cent hike in the gas and diesel tax to fix deteriorating roads and bridges, setting the stage for a budget battle with the Senate, which proposes instead to legalize a casino to pay for infrastructure improvements.


The 206-158 vote sent the proposed increase to the Senate, which voted earlier this month to legalize 5,000 video slot machines and 150 table games in one casino. The House voted last week to kill one casino bill, but kept a second bill alive to preserve its ability to offer its own gambling bill even though the House has never passed one.

But whether drivers or gamblers pay to fix New Hampshire's deteriorating highways isn't likely to be decided until the budget is acted on in June.

New Hampshire has not raised its 18-cent tax in 22 years, and supporters said more money is needed to finish expanding Interstate 93 from the Massachusetts border to Manchester and for other highway improvements. The bill calls for increasing the tax on gas over three years and on diesel over six years.

House Public Works and Highways Chairman David Campbell, a Democrat, who has the support of many Republicans on his committee, sponsored the bill that would raise about $817 million over 10 years. Once fully phased in, the tax would produce about $91 million annually. The bill would fully fund the $250 million needed to finish widening I-93.

Campbell said nearly two-dozen bridges have been closed over the past two years, and more will be closed without additional funding. He also argued that the tax increase won't be reflected penny-for-penny in gas prices. New Hampshire's tax rate is the lowest in New England, yet gas can be found cheaper in nearby states, he said.

Opponents argued that consumers recovering from the recession can't afford higher taxes.

Former House Speaker William O'Brien, R-Mont Vernon, tried unsuccessfully to get the House to stop diverting money raised from gas taxes to support spending in agencies other than the Transportation Department. His proposal would have cut the Department of Safety's budget by more than 40 percent, as well as cut small allocations to the Justice Department, Health and Human Services Department, highway safety agency and the courts.

"The choice is to use the money already set aside to repair our roads and bridges and to stop diverting funds away and fund that diversion with a tax increase," said O'Brien.

O'Brien argued that state troopers funded now with gas taxes should have to compete for funding from other state taxes.

Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/politics/House-votes-to-raise-gas-tax-12-cents/-/9857748/19494118/-/6vryy4z/-/index.html#ixzz2OmaGMhjG

I am with O'Brien on this one. We should have been using the gas/diesel taxes for roads all along, not send it to the general fund. What makes them think it will go to roads now???? I am strongly against this new tax. It is going to make a terrible economy even worse.

fshnski wrote:"...But whether drivers or gamblers pay to fix New Hampshire's deteriorating highways isn't likely to be decided until the budget is acted on in June..."

The "gamblers" will increase the influence of the "Takers".

The "drivers" will decrease the influence of the "Givers".

We know the gas tax won't be used to fix the roads anyway.

Fsh, is there a reason you posted that again or are you just getting senile???

Old timers disease! Now I don't know how to get it to delete.

I deleted it for you. I am glad I am not the only one who forgets what they are doing!!!!

If you want I can take the other posts away too. (and this one)

Do you have an x after the word editer? If you do, you can click that and delete any post you write.

Thank you!