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Pa. Senate Approves Multi-Billion Dollar Transportation Spending Proposal

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The state Senate has approved a multi-billion dollar transportation spending proposal. It now heads back to the House.

The bill has the governor's support, and if it gets his signature, you'll pay more every time you fill up your gas tank.

There is little doubt about what is going to happen to your wallet at the pump.

"In January, if this all passes, we are going to see anywhere from 6 to 9 cent per gallon increases," said Don Bowers, of Superior Petroleum.

Bowers says well see similar increases each of the next three years.

"I certainly don't want to pay anymore for gas then I already am," says Joyce Parker, of Observatory Hill.

Besides repair, maintenance and construction of our states roads, Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald says the transportation funding is needed to get people to work and allow businesses to grow.

"People, whether they be businesses or whether they be individual, will know if they invest in a property, invest in a business that the bus route they have is not going to be cut," said Fitzgerald.

"People are making it paycheck to paycheck," says Pa. Rep. Daryl Metcalf. "They cannot afford a tax increase and hundreds of millions of dollars of this will go to mass transit for people to ride buses."

"I think that they ought to pay their own way. I mean, I pay my own way to drive my vehicle," said Kevin Blanarik, of Baden.

When it's all added up in three years, well see about a 30 cent increase in the higher fee the oil distributors must pay per gallon.

"The consumer is going to pay the increase," says Bowers.

"People can't afford it now, can't afford gasoline. It's over $3. I think if they are going to tax, they should tax everyone," said Jack Beham, of Gibsonia.

Then, there is this, Gov. Tom Corbett has said in campaign ads: "As governor, I will oppose all new tax increases."

"The governor certainly is violating that pledge and betraying the people of Pennsylvania," said Rep. Metcalf.

But the Governor's Office says this isn't a new tax, it's the modernization of an existing fee bringing it up to date.

"Whatever it is, you are going to be paying more at the pump," said Bowers.

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