Gov. Maggie Hassan says she would sign a bill to increase the state’s gas tax by roughly 4 cents this year, should it reach her desk.
Appearing on NHPR’s The Exchange, Hassan said she supports a bill proposed by Sen. Jim Rausch of Derry that would link the gas tax to the Consumer Price Index.
“There has been growing consensus in both political parties in both chambers that we need to address our infrastructure challenges.”’
The state’s gas tax has remained at 18 cents a gallon since 1991.
An effort to increase the tax passed the House last year, but stalled in the Senate.
Rausch’s bill would increase the gas tax by four cents this year and generate roughly $28 million for the Department of Transportation.
Future rates would be adjusted every four years, starting in 2018.
The Senate Ways and Means committee is currently reviewing the bill.
