Pennsylvania bill covers fuel tax transparency

A Pennsylvania Senate bill is touted to address fuel tax transparency in the state.

The state collects a 57.6-cent rate on gas purchases. The diesel rate is 74.1 cents. The rates are adjusted annually. Another modification is scheduled for Jan. 1.

Sen. Cris Dush, R-Jefferson, said his legislation would provide transparency in the collection of fuel taxes.

“As we Pennsylvanians are reminded every time we fill up, we pay the highest gas tax in the country at nearly 60 cents per gallon,” Dush wrote in a memo to lawmakers. “This drives up gas prices in Pennsylvania and places a heavy tax burden on those of us who live in rural areas, where driving is a necessity.”

His bill, SB1362, would require the state Department of Revenue to submit an annual report to House and Senate lawmakers that shows how much money was collected in each municipality over the past year and over the previous year.

The report must include the quantity and type of each fuel sold in each municipality in the preceding calendar year.

Affected municipalities are defined as a county, city, borough, incorporated town or township.

“This short piece of legislation simply requires the Department of Revenue to share the information they already obtain about where each gallon of gas is purchased so that the General Assembly can use this information to see who pays the most taxes for transportation and if that money is being spent fairly,” Dush said.

He added that his bill would “allow lawmakers to make better, fairer decisions with infrastructure money.”

SB1362 is in the Senate Transportation Committee. The regular session is scheduled to wrap up Nov. 30. If the bill fails to win legislative support before the month, it would need to be reintroduced for consideration during the 2023 session. LL

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