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Reps Say Raise Gas Tax To 50 Cents, Dump Tolls

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Jan 14, 2009 8:06 am US/Eastern

Reps Say Raise Gas Tax To 50 Cents, Dump Tolls

Join The Conversation: Conversation Nation On Gas Tax

BOSTON (WBZ) ―

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MetroWest lawmakers are pushing a bill to more than double the state gas tax and eliminate all existing tolls on the Massachusetts Turnpike, harbor tunnels and Tobin Bridge.

50 CENTS PER GALLON

State Rep. David Linksy said the plan would raise the gas tax by more than 26 cents, bringing the total to 50 cents per gallon.

That would be an increase of about 138 percent, but Linsky told the State House News Service it would "put us up there" compared to other states, "but we would be a state without tolls."

The Natick Democrat said the increase would generate $1.6 billion annually, with revenues going to the Turnpike Authority, MBTA, regional transit authorities, road and bridge projects, and the state highway department.

The bill would also let the state build new Turnpike tolls at the New York and Connecticut borders.

Gov. Deval Patrick has said he would consider a gas tax increase as an alternative to toll hikes, but hasn't said how much.

The gas tax hasn't been raised in Massachusetts since 1991.

WHAT ARE OTHER STATES PAYING?

Here are the current gas tax rates across New England:

Massachusetts 23.5 cents
Rhode Island 31 cents
New Hampshire 19.6 cents
Connecticut 44 cents
Vermont 20 cents
Maine 29 cents

The national average is 30 cents a gallon.

Check: Gas tax prices state by state.

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