A trucking group says Idaho's 25-cent-per-gallon gas tax should be hiked 6 cents a gallon.
That's according to the Idaho Trucking Association's measure introduced Thursday in the House Transportation Committee, to do it over the next three years. It's considered a longshot to pass.
Truckers pitched the bill on grounds Idaho should get started on tackling an estimated annual $262 million backlog of road and bridge projects.
Still, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter has already said highway funding probably won't be an issue in 2014.
Back in 2009, the Legislature killed his grand transportation funding package.
And Otter's already said he wants to study the matter further, before developing another plan.
Against this backdrop, Idaho Transportation Department director Brian Ness said Thursday he hopes to get the roads-funding conversation started — and this trucking bill could help.
