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Progress NC Action: Don’t Be Fooled: Senate’s Gas Tax Bill is a $1.2 Billion Tax Increase on Working NC Families

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Feb. 11, 2015. Senate Republicans are rushing a bill through the legislature that would raise North Carolina’s gas tax by $1.2 Billion over the next four years. While the intentionally deceptive bill would temporarily lower the gas tax by 2.5 cents, it would also raise the minimum gas tax rate by 14 cents. This means North Carolina families would be paying more at the pump over the long term.

“If Senate Republicans want to pump over a billion dollars in extra taxes out of North Carolina families who are already struggling to make ends meet, they should be upfront about it instead of rushing an intentionally deceptive bait-and-switch proposal through the General Assembly,” said Gerrick Brenner, executive director of Progress North Carolina Action. “Lawmakers think they can fool voters by passing a tiny short-term cut which hides a massive long-term increase. Governing through bait-and-switch tax schemes is no way to run a state, and North Carolinians deserve better from their leaders.”

Over four years, the 67% increase on the minimum gas tax is projected to cost North Carolina drivers an extra $1.2 Billion at the pump. That’s more than enough to make up for the paltry 2.5-cent decrease in the short term. With about six million drivers in North Carolina, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles, that means each driver would be paying about $50 more in gas taxes every year.

“This is just another deceptive tax increase coming from the state legislature in Raleigh,” added Brenner. “First, lawmakers claimed income tax cuts for folks at the top would benefit everyone — but many working families are seeing higher state income tax bills. Now, lawmakers are claiming to cut gas taxes when they really plan to suck more gas money out of working families in the long run.”