Strickland: Don’t raise fuel tax now

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Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon)

By Marc Kovac

The report suggested adding a 13-cent-a-gallon gas tax.

COLUMBUS — Gov. Ted Strickland said he will not support increases in the state’s motor vehicle fuel taxes, as outlined in a task force report submitted to his office this week.

“These are very difficult times for people,” Strickland said. “We are in the middle of a recession. People are finding it difficult to meet their most basic obligations. ... And, as I have said and I continue to say, I don’t think this is an appropriate time for a tax increase.”

He added, “I’m not saying that, at some point in time it may be desirable to consider a course of action like that. But this is not the time, in my judgment, to put additional burdens on people, whether it’s to buy gasoline or to do anything else that is necessary for people to keep family functioning and pay their bills and meet their obligations.”

Strickland offered the comments in response to Statehouse reporters’ questions after speaking to attendees at the Ohio Fair Managers annual convention in Columbus.

On Tuesday, the 21st Century Transportation Priorities Task Force presented its final report to the governor, legislative leaders and the head of the Ohio Department of Transportation, outlining recommendations for improving the state’s transportation infrastructure and systems.

The recommendations were developed through public meetings over the past seven months.

Strickland commended the task force’s efforts and the resulting report and he said he’ll work with lawmakers to implement recommendations, some of which could be funded through expected federal stimulus dollars.

Among the recommendations that the governor is not supporting is a new motor fuel tax. According to the report: “A permanent 13-cent special tax on motor fuel would generate over $800 million in new revenue annually. This revenue stream would be sufficient to support both a $5 billion capital bond financing program over five years for highway and multi-modal transportation projects, as well as operations support for nonhighway modes of transportation.”

But Strickland said it is not the right time to consider a tax increase.

“Many Ohioans today are having a really difficult time,” he said. “Although gasoline prices went from over $4 a gallon a few months ago down to under $2 a gallon, we don’t know how long that reduction will be realized at the gas pump. So I am not supportive of that particular suggestion.”