Legislators talk about highway funding over the weekend

bruce-borders-and-eric-bassler

State Representative Bruce Borders of Jasonville and State Senator Eric Bassler of Washington appeared on WVUT’s Meet Your Legislator on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

A House bill that would have raised the cigarette and gasoline tax to pay for future road repairs was defeated in favor of a Senate bill that uses approximately 1-billion dollars from the state’s cash reserves for road improvements.

Speaking on WVUT’s Meet Your Legislators program, State Representative Bruce Borders voted against the House measure because it allows for the creation of a local wheel tax.

State Senator Eric Bassler of Washington added that increasing the state gasoline tax isn’t a long term solution to maintaining Indiana’s roads and streets.

Bassler says some of the ideas being tossed around include implementation of toll roads or a tire tax.

It’s expected that the summer study committee will come back with a list of recommendations for lawmakers to consider when the General Assembly reconvenes next year. .