Politics & Government

Gov. Patrick Won't Support Latest Transportation Finance Plan

The new plan would increase gas tax by 3 cents to 24 cents per gallon, add a $1 per-pack cigarette tax and add a 6.25 percent sales tax on computer system design services. What do you think?

This post was written by Bret Silverberg. 

Gov. Deval Patrick said he would not support a new transportation finance plan that would create $500 million in new taxes.

The new plan, a collaboration between the House and Senate, would increase gas tax by 3 cents to 24 cents per gallon, add a $1 per-pack cigarette tax and add a 6.25 percent sales tax on computer system design services, according to a State House press release Thursday.

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Were the bill to pass, immediate service cuts and fare increases would not be needed to close this upcoming fiscal year’s MBTA budget gap, according to MyFoxBoston.com.

Patrick, in a statement Thursday, said the new bill does not take into account Mass Pike tolls in the western portion of the state, which are slated to be taken down in 2017, according to MyFoxBoxton.com.

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“Because the conference report fails to address revenue sources that become unavailable in 2017, it does not actually achieve investment at the level of $805M -- with the result that many of the Commonwealth's unmet transportation needs will remain unmet,” Patrick said in the statement.

Senate and House leaders have been working on a variety of transportation plans since early in 2013.


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