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Gene Kennedy ReportingSome lawmakers say Utah is in a transportation funding crisis. They want the gas tax to go up to pay for roads. But a new poll shows very few people support that.
The poll results are no surprise. With gasoline prices high already, who wants the gas tax to go up 25 cents?
That's what the Utah Taxpayers Association is pushing for, along with a 25-cent reduction in sales tax. The group says that plan would raise $350 million for needed road projects.
State lawmakers will talk about this during their July interim meetings. But a Dan Jones and Associates poll done for KSL-TV and the Deseret Morning News shows little support for this idea.
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Gas Tax Increase
Support Gas Tax Hike 13%
Support Only if other Taxes Reduced 19%
Leave Tax at Current Level 25%
Reduce Gas Tax 36%
</font>Dan Jones surveyed more than 400 people. Only 13 percent of respondents would support a gas tax hike. Nineteen percent would support it if the state income or sales taxes were reduced proportionately. Twenty-five percent said it should just stay the same, and 36 percent say the tax should be lowered.
In another Dan Jones and Associates poll, 60 percent said the price of gas is forcing them to change their driving behaviors.
We may see that percentage go up because this isn't expected to change anytime soon.
