Blame Pa. gas tax hike for likely increase at pump in January

[ad_1]

Pennsylvania drivers don’t want to hear this, but the price at the pump will likely go up once the calendar shifts to 2023.

The state gasoline tax, which is assessed at the wholesale level, will increase Jan. 1. Law 89 of 2013, which was enacted during the Corbett administration, mandates this increase to pay for road and bridge projects.

This does not mean that the taxes are automatically passed on to consumers at the pump, as it is an increase for the wholesaler. But this is the expected result.

PennDOT said gasoline tax in Pennsylvania will rise from just under 58 cents per gallon to over 61 cents per gallon.

It also affects the diesel fuel tax, which will drop from over 74 cents per gallon to 78.5 cents. Pennsylvania now has the second-highest diesel fuel tax rate in the nation, behind California, which charges $0.795 a gallon, the Pa. Motor Truck Association points out.

The national average price of motor gasoline today, according to AAA, is $3.12 per gallon. The average price in Pennsylvania, which has one of the highest gasoline taxes in the country, is $3.66 per gallon. In the Harrisburg area, the average price today is $3.69 per gallon.

Gasoline prices peaked in June at over $5 a gallon.

Alexis Campbell, a spokeswoman for PennDOT, said Gov. Tom Wolf has repeatedly called for the gasoline tax to be phased out because it’s a burden on Pennsylvanians and doesn’t do work.

But to eliminate the gas tax, we need to identify a continued, stable source of revenue for infrastructure funding that will give Pennsylvania the resources we need to fix roads, keep bridges safe, and ensure the air and water quality for all, she said. The Governor encourages the General Assembly to seek alternative funding sources that can replace the gas tax, repair our aging infrastructure, and prepare Pennsylvania for 21st century success.

Following:

Top-selling spirits in Pennsylvania in fiscal year 2021-22: Is your favorite on the list?

Gas prices for Christmas 2022 should be a gift for drivers, says GasBuddy

[ad_2]