State Senator Leatherman (R-Florence) said Monday that he believes raising the gas tax would be a viable way to provide additional and much needed recurring dollars for improvements to roads, highways and bridges. The proposed gas tax increase is a hot topic for this years General Assembly.

Leatherman said an increase of the tax is needed to provide recurring dollars for roads, bridges and interstates. “I’m telling you at this point I will be for a gas tax increase, or user fee, that’s what I call it,” Leatherman said. “If we don’t do it, the highways will continue to crumble.”

Leatherman is Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and spoke about where some of the $265 million in new recurring revenue may may be allocated to. Infrastructure he said is a concern he hears a great deal about from prospective investors in South Carolina.

“So I think we have got to address this,” Leatherman said “Highway infrastructure is the lifeblood of our state. We absolutely have got to do something about that, so those who say, ‘well, no user fee’ – I say okay, how are we going to fix the highways? ‘Well you did it last year.’ Come on, come on, our people aren’t going to buy that. They know the highways aren’t fixed.”

However  Governor Nikki Haley has vowed to veto any bill that will increase the gas tax. Halley said in hear State of the State address last week that she does not support raising the gas tax.

“Raising the gas tax, forcing our people and our businesses to pay more for the simple act of getting around, is not an option for me,” Haley said in her fourth State of the State Address last Tuesday. “I will veto any bill that reaches my desk that raises taxes on gasoline.” See the full article by clicking the link below.

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