Gas tax cut idea worries some

NAMPA, Idaho – A proposal to cut Idaho’s gasoline tax concerns some lawmakers who say the money is needed for road construction and improvements.

“I’m as anti-tax as they come,” Sen. John McGee, R-Caldwell, told the Idaho Press-Tribune on Thursday. “That’s just part of who I am philosophically. But I can tell you also that as the vice chairman of the Transportation Committee, one of the things I hear over and over again is that drivers want a third lane from Caldwell to Boise. And if we don’t spend our dollars responsibly toward that action, we’ll never get a third lane.”

State Rep. Bill Sali, R-Kuna, has proposed waiving for three months the 25 cents in taxes Idaho places on a gallon of gas. Sali is running for Congress and faces several opponents in his bid for the GOP nomination in the 1st District race, including Canyon County Commissioner Robert Vasquez.

Sali estimates that suspending the tax would cost the state about $40 million. He said Idaho could instead use some money from what is expected to be a $214 million budget surplus. Historically, budget surplus money is used to cover increasing costs of government services. Passing such a measure would require Gov. Dirk Kempthorne to call a special legislative session.

The revenue generated from the gas tax goes into a dedicated fund that must be used for road construction, repair and maintenance, and traffic supervision, said Sen. Brad Little, R-Emmett. He said he would like to see a thorough analysis before supporting the proposal.