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Nebraska Gas Tax Increase Proposal Advances

03/11/2015

(KLZA)-- LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A proposal to raise Nebraska's gas tax to pay for bridges and roads has advanced for debate by lawmakers.

The Revenue Committee voted 5-2 on Wednesday to approve the measure for debate in the Legislature. The 6-cent increase, phased in over four years, would bring Nebraska's total gas tax to 31.6 cents per gallon.

The bill would generate an estimated $19 million a year for aging roads and bridges. Sen. Jim Smith of Papillion describes the tax as a "user fee" for motorists, saying it's a better alternative than tapping the state's general fund or issuing bonds.

Smith says the bill will reduce pressure on counties that use property taxes to pay for bridge and road repairs.

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Comments

KS_Referee (03/12/2015 3:55 AM)

Does Senator Smith think that diverting potentially new taxes collected from one source to another alleviates the financial burden on the source of all taxes, the tax paying citizens? Every tax paying citizen that is middle income to poor has had to make adjustments in their spending due to the higher cost of living created by government interference with the free market, burdensome and completely unconstitutional regulations AND insanely wasteful government spending. How about just once the government cut its budget. Not a reduction in the rate of growth but actual cuts like tax paying citizens have to do with their budgets every day. Government has already stolen and wasted enough of our money yet they never cease demanding more and more. I think it is time for the voters to put an end to this crap once and for all. Get rid of EVERY last one of these politicians in EVERY race on EVERY ballot. I dont care if they are a D or an R, they are ALL crooked liars and thieves.