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Transportation Advocacy Group Supports Freezing Gas Tax

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When they return to work next week, Kentucky lawmakers are expected to consider ways to stem a drop in state gas tax monies.

Significant declines in the price per gallon at the pump have led to a loss of revenue to maintain and build roads. 

Kentuckians for Better Transportation director Juva Barber hopes legislators can remedy the problem.

"That is a major concern for all modes of transportation,” Barber said. “Obviously, if you move freight here in the state of Kentucky, you need a very safe,dependable road network and we have to make sure we have funding for that road network to maintain it and improve it as needed." 

Barber said KBT supports a proposal to lock in the gas tax rate at its current level. Former KBT chair Richard Sutherland said that plan would work to secure $150 million.

"That won't re-collect the 4.3 or 5 cents or so that we've already lost in the last 12 months,” Sutherland said. “It will just prevent us from losing another 5 cents on the gas tax." 

Kentuckians for Better Transportation held its 37th annual conference last week in Lexington. 

Stu Johnson is a reporter/producer at WEKU in Lexington, Kentucky.
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