Proposal would raise federal gas tax to fix roads

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You could soon be paying more at the pump.

Channel 9's Washington Bureau got an early look at a Capitol Hill proposal out Wednesday.

It would nearly double the federal gas tax to 33 cents per gallon.

Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer said it's necessary to bring in money to fix our crumbling roads and bridges.

Roads, bridges and transit systems are all increasingly at risk.  Drivers are facing inadequate states of repair and construction of new facilities are on hold.

Blumenauer said the tax money would put hundreds of thousands of people back to work fixing the country's infrastructure.

Congress has not raised the federal gas tax in 20 years.

Florida Rep. John Mica said raising the federal gas tax would be the wrong thing to do to people already struggling in our economy.

"I think sometimes members of Congress don't live in the real world," Mica said. "You've got to look at some of the alternatives to bring the costs of the projects down."

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