Multiple Pennsylvania bills target fuel tax costs in the state.
The state collects a 57.6-cent rate on gas purchases. The diesel rate is 74.1 cents.
The rates are adjusted annually. Another modification is scheduled for Jan. 1, 2026.
Senate Bill 596
House and Senate lawmakers have introduced legislation touted to address fuel tax transparency in the state.
The first bill would require the state Department of Revenue to submit an annual report to House and Senate lawmakers that shows how much money was collected in each municipality over the past year and over the previous year.
Sponsored by Sen. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, SB596 would require the quantity and type of fuel sold in each municipality in the preceding calendar year to be included in the report.
Municipalities are defined as a county, city, borough, incorporated town or township.
“This short piece of legislation simply requires the Department of Revenue to share the information they already obtain about where each gallon of gas is purchased so that the General Assembly can use this information to see who pays the most taxes for transportation and if that money is being spent fairly,” Dush wrote.
He added that his fuel tax bill would “allow lawmakers to make better, fairer decisions with infrastructure money.”
Senate Bill 607
In the Senate, one bill would require fuel pumps throughout Pennsylvania to display stickers with the state and federal tax rates on gas and diesel. The aggregate cost of the taxes would be included.
Sen. Michele Brooks, R-Mercer, said the Keystone State has the third-highest gas tax in the nation. The gas tax is 57.6 cents per gallon.
Only California and Illinois have higher gas tax rates.
Brooks pointed out that when combined with the federal excise tax, Pennsylvania’s aggregate gas tax rate is 77.1 cents.
She added in a memo to lawmakers, “The diesel tax is a whopping 74.1 cents per gallon, meaning every gallon pumped is taxed at 98.5 cents per gallon when adding in the federal tax.”
Only California has a higher aggregate tax.
“The money from the Pennsylvania state gasoline tax is to go to repairs on roads and bridges across the state, yet PennDOT still has budgetary woes and continues asking for more funding for those projects,” Brooks wrote.
She said consumers have a right to know how much of their money is going to fuel taxes with every gallon of fuel purchased.
Her bill, SB607, would require stickers to be placed on retail service station fuel pumps displaying the rates of federal and state liquid fuels tax.
Brooks said enactment of the rule is a simple way to increase the transparency of fuel prices for consumers.
Rep. Tim Bonner, R-Mercer/Butler, is the bill’s House sponsor. The House version is HB898.
Ohio has similar rule
Bonner pointed out the Pennsylvania legislation is similar to an Ohio law.
Since 2020, Ohio requires stickers to be affixed to fuel pumps throughout the state.
The 4-inch by 4-inch stickers show a breakdown of state, local and federal taxes that are levied on gasoline and diesel.
An exception to the Ohio rule is made when the fuel tax information is displayed in another way, such as on a video screen or in a prominent place at the fuel station. LL
More Land Line coverage of Pennsylvania news is available.
Credit: Source link
