Wyoming House Passes Gas Tax Increase

The Wyoming House today passed legislation by a vote of 35-24 to increase the state’s motor fuels tax by ten cents, from 14 to 24 cents per gallon. The increase would provide the Wyoming Department of Transportation and local governments an annual revenue increase of $71 million. The initiative was proposed and pushed by Gov. Matt Mead (R) who said that, “though $71 million won't entirely cover the $134 million annual funding gap for Wyoming's roads, it is a good start.” The Wyoming Senate is expected to take up the legislation next week. The last time Wyoming raised its motor fuels tax was 1998. AGC’s Wyoming Contractors Association (WCA) was the leading advocate for the increase. With an overwhelmingly strong fiscally conservative makeup in the legislature (52 Republicans out of a 60 member House and 26 Republicans out of a 30 member Senate) WCA used AGC’s publication - “The Conservative Case for Infrastructure Investment” - in seeking support for the measure.