Wednesday, November 21, 2001
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Wednesday, November 21, 2001 |
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Seabaugh wants gas tax to go for road improvements, not unrelated projects By JOHN MUNFORD
Fayette State Senator Mitch Seabaugh wants to dedicate all motor fuel sales tax funds to road improvements. Seabaugh, R-Sharpsburg, pre-filed a bill to that effect last week. The bill can only be acted on once the legislature convenes the 2002 session on January 14. Although the 1 percent sales tax on motor vehicle fuel generated approximately $65 million last year, only $29 million was spent on local road assistance programs, Seabaugh said. The remaining $36 million was lumped in the state's general purpose funds, Seabaugh said. The bill would not result in a tax increase, but it will re-direct revenues that are currently collected, Seabaugh noted. "These tax revenues come from motor fuel sales and they should be used for road improvements, not pork projects," Seabaugh said. "Without this bill, local road assistance money is at risk of disappearing to the black hole of pork projects and duplicitous bureaucracies." Seabaugh said the proposal has bipartisan support and there is "a lot of support throughout Georgia for this bill."
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