Limehouse proposes increasing tax at the pump to improve roadway safety

Image by Flickr user Azfar.2010

If state Department of Transportation Secretary Buck Limehouse gets his wish, drivers will be forced to pay more at the pump in 2011.

Currently, South Carolina's gasoline tax rate hasn't been increased since 1987, and is the fourth-lowest in the nation and the state of our roads reflect that.

However, in a letter Limehouse sent to lawmakers yesterday, he's asking them to consider raising the gasoline tax by 5.5 cents, from 16.75 cents to 22.25 cents a gallon.

The Post and Courier has the letter Limehouse sent out yesterday as well as more information on how the tax dollars would be spent on upgrading the nation'sĀ fourth-largest, state-maintained highway system. You'll find both here.

Worth noting is that Senate member Glenn McConnell is generally supporting the idea of this fee bump, there's also a story today about him bemoaning Medicaid funding growth.

Filed in