Vermont’s Senate cut back on a planned gasoline tax increase passed by the House, but proposed raising the state’s diesel tax, the Associated Press reported.
The Senate gave its version of a transportation budget bill preliminary and final approval on Friday, an unusual legislative move, AP reported.
Lawmakers said quick action was required because part of the gas tax increase is scheduled to take effect on May 1.
The Senate plan would boost the state’s diesel tax by 4 cents over two years.
Because the Senate version differs in the gas-tax numbers, a House-Senate conference committee is expected to meet this week to resolve their differences on the bill, but most news reports say it’s likely the 4-cent diesel increase will remain intact.
The House version would raise the gasoline tax by a projected 6.7 cents, while senators voted to raise it a projected 5.9 cents per gallon.
Meanwhile, the state’s transportation agency said it had budgeted about $324 million for transportation projects during the construction season now getting under way, the Burlington (Vt.) Free Press reported.
That’s about 1% higher than last year and includes $108 million for road paving, $61 million for interstate bridges, $54 million for state highway bridges and $53 million for other roadway work, the newspaper said.
