Politics & Government

Patrick Won't Support Latest Transportation Plan, Says Gas, Cigarette Tax Hikes Not Enough

Gov. Deval Patrick will not support a bill, which has the support of the Senate and House, because he says it does not factor in the decrease in tax revenue when some Mass Pike tolls come down in 2017.

Gov. Deval Patrick said he would not support a new transportation finance plan that includes $500 million in new taxes.

The new plan, a collaboration between the House and Senate, would increase gas tax by 3 cents to 24 cents per gallon, add a $1 per-pack cigarette tax and add a 6.25 percent sales tax on computer system design services, according to a State House press release.

Were the bill to pass, immediate service cuts and fare increases would not be needed to close this upcoming fiscal year’s MBTA budget gap, according to MyFoxBoston.com.

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Patrick, in a statement, said the new bill does not take into account Mass Pike tolls in the western portion of the state, which are slated to be taken down in 2017.

“Because the conference report fails to address revenue sources that become unavailable in 2017, it does not actually achieve investment at the level of $805M -- with the result that many of the Commonwealth's unmet transportation needs will remain unmet,” Patrick said in the statement.

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Senate and House leaders have been working on a variety of transportation plans since early in 2013.


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