02/21/2019

Message from Beth -- February 21, 2019

Governor boldly proposes 18 cent gas tax increase

Transportation Budget Bill Introduced

ACEC Ohio has been actively involved in the FOR Ohio Coalition, both as a founder and serving on the six-member steering committee.  The hard work of educating candidates on the need for an increase in transportation funding has been heard and Governor Mike DeWine has taken the bold step to propose a gas tax increase of 18 cents in the 2020/2021 ODOT biennial budget bill ( HB 62 and Analysis of HB 62 ).

The Ohio Department of Transportation Director, Jack Marchbanks, gave an overview of the proposal today in the Ohio House Finance Committee. (ODOT Testimony HB 63 )  The budget proposal includes an 18 cent gas tax increase taking effect on July 1, 2019 with indexing to the CPI starting on that date also.  There is no provision to increase the registration fees or assess alternative fuel vehicles.  The budget also includes an increase of $7 million over the biennium for public transit.

This is the administration’s proposal, and the budget bill still has to be reviewed and negotiated by both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate.  The legislature can propose a phased in approach to the gas tax, increasing registration fees, permissive license tag fees, different indexing, and changes to public transit funding as the bill moves through the process. Or choose to do nothing at all to address the funding shortfall.

We are at a pivotal point in our collective efforts and have momentum, but much more work needs to be done.  ACEC Ohio has sent out a support statement on the funding proposal, we ask that you continue to reach out to your legislative members in support also. ODOT has created a website for review which includes maps of delayed or cancelled projects for each legislative district at https://transportation.ohio.gov/budget. Click here for the FOR Ohio Flyer and log onto www.fixourroadsohio.org .

Feel free to contact me for additional information.

~Beth