House Majority Caucus Chairman Ken Roberts, R-Donnelly, said, "At this point, the gas tax is not part of the discussions we're having now." Instead, he said, the tentative plan is to look at a series of bills, which would stand on their own individual merits, starting with removing the ethanol exemption (a measure that already passed both houses, unanimously in the House, but later was amended and killed); and including raising ITD administrative fees to the tune of $13.1 million; and adjusting brackets that serve as categories for vehicle registration fee rates, as proposed by Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls, to raise some more money for transportation there. Additional pieces, not yet being introduced, might look to such areas as tapping into the sales taxes paid on tires and auto parts. "That concept may be getting some traction," Roberts said.

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