Behind closed doors, a major gas tax hike is being put back in the budget.
That’s right. After the Senate’s transportation budget cut the tax increase down to just 6-cents, leaving a great opportunity for an offsetting tax cut, House leadership and Governor DeWine have put as much as a 15-cent increase back in.
The transportation budget is in conference committee, where differences between the House and Senate will be negotiated into a final product. That has opened the door to a last second effort to push a huge gas tax hike. It’s up to you to stop it!
Senate President Obhof is standing up for taxpayers. He’s working to slash the gas tax hike and cut sales or income taxes so that Ohioans don’t have their overall tax burden rise.
Take action today, tell your legislators: No Gas Tax Hike!
To be connected to your Senator or Representative, call 1-800-282-0253, or visit the legislative websites: Senate and House.
You can also share our Twitter and Facebook posts! The members of the conference committee (with Twitter addresses) are: Sens. Bob Peterson, Matt Dolan, and Nickie Antonio & House Reps. Scott Oelslager, Dave Greenspan, and Jack Cera.
More background:
Governor DeWine originally proposed a 64%, or 18-cent hike to the gas tax with a provision to index the tax to inflation annually. The House passed HB-62 which provides for a 10.7 cent increase to the gas tax that would be implemented over three years with no provision for yearly inflation increases. Their bill also includes more spending for transit projects.
Only 29.6% of Ohioans support Gov. DeWine’s gas tax hike. Over 55% OPPOSE
Ohio hasn’t changed its gas tax since 2005, and for good reason:
- Gas tax hikes failed to appropriately address budget shortfalls in the past, according to a report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and will do so again.
- The gas tax is regressive, meaning the lowest income citizens bear the greatest burden. With gas tax prices that have been creeping up in Ohio, such a tax hike would have especially adverse effects on the state’s lower income earners.
- Ohio and Ohioans have reaped the rewards of common sense tax policy and federal tax reform but a gas tax hike works against those benefits. A gas tax hike would serve to eliminate 60% or more of the benefits individuals saw from federal tax reform.
Make sure to speak up and stop this backroom deal.
To be connected to your Senator or Representative, call 1-800-282-0253, or visit the legislative websites: Senate and House.
You can also share our Twitter and Facebook posts! The members of the conference committee (with Twitter addresses) are: Sens. Bob Peterson, Matt Dolan, and Nickie Antonio & House Reps. Scott Oelslager, Dave Greenspan, and Jack Cera.