House GOP plan trims governor’s proposed gas-tax increase

CINCINNATI (AP) — Ohio House Republicans have proposed cutting Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s 18-cents-per-gallon recommended gas-tax increase to maintain roads and bridges to 10.7 cents.

Republicans unveiled their plan Tuesday in a substitute version of the state transportation budget. The House finance committee planned to vote on the substitution today with a full House vote expected Thursday.

DeWine proposes raising Ohio’s current tax of 28 cents per gallon by 18 cents per gallon starting July 1 and adjusting it annually for inflation. The House proposes an increase of 10.7 cents a gallon over three years beginning Oct. 1. The House proposal would increase the current 28-cents-per-gallon diesel-fuel tax by 20 cents a gallon, with that increase also phased in over a three-year period.

The House plan increase, which would not be indexed to inflation, would raise about $872 million per year, compared with about $1.2 billion from DeWine’s plan.