A Mere 15% of Americans Favor Higher Gas Tax to Fund Transportation Projects

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 15% of adults favor raising the gas tax to help meet new transportation needs. Seventy-four percent (74%) oppose a gas tax hike. Americans currently pay a federal tax of 18.4 cents on each gallon of gas. The Department of Transportation says current revenue from the tax, last raised in 1993, is not enough to meet the $500 billion in road, bridge and transit projects that Congress has in mind.

Among the findings of the poll:

  • 55% of Americans say it’s better to cut back on transportation projects than to raise the federal gas tax.
  • 22% prefer raising the tax instead of cutting back; 23% aren’t sure.
  • Most unaffiliateds (53%) agree with 73% of Republicans that cutting back on transportation projects is better than raising the federal gas tax. Most Democrats do not.
  • 60% of investors say cutting back on projects is better than raising the gas tax, compared to 51% of non-investors.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently floated the idea of increasing the federal tax on gasoline as a way to meet Congress’ growing list of transportation projects. Earlier this year, just 10% of adults said the federal government should increase the tax on gasoline by a large amount as a way of encouraging people to buy more fuel-efficient cars. Eighty-one percent (81%) opposed a large tax hike for that purpose.

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