A hike in the tax on gasoline is one possible revenue burden facing American motorists, President Joe Biden’s secretary of transportation nominee Pete Buttigieg told a Senate panel on Thursday.
The revelation came after former South Bend (Indiana) Mayor Pete Buttigieg was asked by Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida during his confirmation hearing about possible tax hikes.
“I think all options need to be on the table,” Buttigieg said, according to Roll Call.
“As you know, the gas tax has not been increased since 1993, and it’s never been pegged to inflation, and that is one of the reasons why the current state of the Highway Trust Fund is that there’s more going out than coming in.”
Later in the hearing, Buttigieg told Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah it was “possible” the gas tax could increase.
“Certainly many states have taken that step, including my own, but it’s not the only approach,” Buttigieg said, according to Roll Call.
Prices do vary around the country, but no change has ever been met with universal acclamation, as Breitbart News has reported:
The federal gasoline tax is 18.4 cents per gallon.
Washington state is debating a proposal to peg the gas tax at 67.4 cents per gallon, which would be the highest in the nation, according to The Associated Press.