Major hike in gas tax, fees urged in Massachusetts

The Boston Globe reports:

A special state commission looking for ways to keep the state's roads and rail systems from falling into disrepair will recommend that the state raise the gasoline tax by 11.5 cents a gallon next year and impose a "user fee" of 5 cents a mile to drive on major state highways, according to an outline of the panel's recommendations.

The Transportation Finance Commission, appointed by the Legislature in 2004, is expected to make its recommendations public tomorrow. It predicted earlier this year that unless costs are cut and revenues increased, the state's transportation agencies will face a deficit of $15 billion to $19 billion over the next 20 years.

To close the gap, the commission is proposing a package of tolls and taxes that would generate more than $20 billion.

The proposals promise to be controversial and will probably face fierce opposition. The recom mendations, some of which have been floated before and rejected, would have to be approved by Governor Deval Patrick and the Legislature, which traditionally have been reluctant to hit motorists with new taxes and tolls.

According to a summary of the recommendations, the commission will recommend a gas tax increase of 49 percent in 2008, from 23.5 cents to 35 cents a gallon. In future years, the tax would be boosted annually to reflect higher costs of living. The gas tax has remained the same since 1990.

No word yet from Massachusetts on cutting back on those generous state pensions.Also,no word yet on those government workers being forced to work until 65 years old until they collect a pension.Doesn't the very Democratic state of Massachusetts care about poor and working people who will have to pay much higher taxes because of the greed of the public sector who never wants a cutback?