Mo. Senate endorses gas tax increase

Missouri's Senate last week gave first-round approval to a measure boosting the state's tax on gasoline by 5.9 cents per gallon.

The increase would require statewide voter approval to take effect.

The voter requirement addressed objections by Senate members who fought a smaller increase last year.

It was termed a "welcome development" by one of last year's leading critics - Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph.

“The people will have an opportunity to weigh in and decide whether or not they want to pay more taxes," Schaaf said, predicting voters would reject the increase.

The measure's sponsor was more optimistic.

"When you pull in and you buy 15 gallons of fuel - which a lot of little cars have, 13 or 15 gallons - somebody looks there and says, ‘Well it's going to cost about 18 cents (more) to fill up today, but gee whiz, we're going to have a nice, safe road to drive on,’” said Sen. Doug Libla, R-Poplar Bluff.

Under the measure, the gas tax would rise from among the nation's lowest of 17 cents per gallon to 22.9 cents.

Legislative staff estimate the increase would raise $165 million additional funds per year for the Missouri Department of Transportation and $71 million more for city and county roads.

Last year's measure won first round approval in the Senate after a lengthy filibuster, but was blocked from getting a final Senate vote by the Senate's Governmental Accountability Committee that reviews the costs of legislation.

A similar measure was killed in the House Transportation Committee last year.