A budget plan proposed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder would raise the tax on gasoline and diesel to 33 cents per gallon.
A new tax on gasoline proposed by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder may pump state dollars from driver's pockets.
Governor Snyder pitched the tax hike to lawmakers at Thursday's annual budget address. The plan would raise the tax on gasoline and diesel to 33 cents per gallon, an increase of 74 percent and 120 percent, respectively. With gas already topping out at about $3.65 per gallon, some drivers in Michigan told WNWO they could do without the tax.
"Luckily I don't have to drive far to work everyday," said Cierra Wood. She continued, "Gas is already outrageous enough, if I have places to go it's ridiculous."
The gasoline tax would generate about $728 million that Snyder says Michigan plans to use for road, bridge, and infastructure improvement projects. Drivers agreed that roads need improvement, but are skeptical about where the funds will end up.
"It takes them forever to fix any train track or road," said Austin Benner, who commutes regularly from Monroe to Ann Arbor. He added, "If the gas prices keep going up that's more money out of my paycheck, and I don't get paid enough as it is."
Lawmakers have suggested generating the revenue from an increase to sales tax, one of many discussions that Snyder plans to review as the budget is prepared in Lansing.
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