Bill would increase Montana gas tax by a nickel

A bill introduced in the Montana Legislature by Rep. Nancy Wilson, D-Missoula, calls for increasing the state’s gas tax by a nickel.

The tax is currently 27 cents a gallon. Federal tax adds an additional 18.4 cents per gallon. Montana hasn’t increased its state gas tax since 1994.

Under House Bill 275, 3 cents of the new tax would go to repair and maintenance of local roads, and 2 cents would help fund public transportation and increasing funding for DUI task forces.

The Montana House Transportation Committee is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the bill next Jan. 28.

Wilson says Montana’s transportation system is a mess and local roads desperately need repairs.

“Transportation is one of the things we need to do together as a community, that is what taxes are for — education, transportation and legal services and fire protection and this is just a part of that,” she said.

Wilson also said public transportation between Montana’s cities isn’t up to par.

“There really is not enough transit across the state,” she said. “You can’t get to any city and back again in one day. You can’t get to most cities more than once a week.”

Wilson sponsored a similar bill in the 2013 session, but it never made it out of the committee.