House To Hear Proposed Fuel Tax Hike

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A proposal to raise Wyoming fuel taxes is set to get its first hearing in the full House of Representatives.

House Majority Floor Leader Kermit Brown, a Laramie Republican, says he expects the bill will come up for a hearing early Wednesday afternoon. It needs to pass in the House three times before it could head to the Senate.

The House Revenue Committee voted Monday to recommend approval of the bill to hike fuel taxes by a dime, from 14 cents to 24 cents a gallon on gasoline.

Gov. Matt Mead is pushing the tax increase, which would raise more than $70 million a year for state and local road projects. Mead has emphasized that out-of-state motorists would foot much of the cost of maintaining the state's highway system.