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Republican State Lawmaker To Propose Gas Tax Bill

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

LA GAS TAX?  Louisiana has approximately a  $15 billion dollar- backlog in transportation infrastructure projects  and fuel taxes we pay at the pump go towards fixing and maintaining roads and bridges.. but   The state of Louisiana has the 7th lowest gas tax in the nation as past proposals to increase fuel tax revenues have been defeated in the legislature.  

"It will create immediate jobs and it will create immediate opportunity economically for us to recover from Covid". Rep. Jack McFarland (R) Louisiana District 13

Credit Courtesy: La.Gov
/
Courtesy: La.Gov
Rep. Jack McFarland (R) Louisiana District 13

But Republican State Representative Jack McFarland  of Winnfield wants to change that as he hopes to get a proposal before the legislature that would raise Louisiana’s gasoline tax by 22 cents a gallon over the next 12 years.  McFarland told the Baton Rouge Press club yesterday that  he will file his Government Reform in Transportation Act, or GRIT, bill in the coming weeks before the Legislature's Regular Session begins April 12.

"The only bill that you're going to see immediate impact from,"McFarland said. "It will create immediate jobs and it will create immediate opportunity economically for us to recover from Covid. No other reform measure will pass that will do that."

If the gas tax is approved , it would raise the tax to 10 cents the first two years and then increase 2 cents a year until 2033.

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.