No Way Bush Raises Gas Tax For Now
U.S. President George Bush rejected the federal gasoline tax raise to repair the nation's bridges at least until Congress changes the way it spends highway money because Mr. Bush is not satisfied with how Transportation committee members "prioritize the people's money"
Bush was responding to a reporter's question at a White House press conference. The question referred to last week's collapse of the span over the Mississippi River at Minneapolis.
About $24 billion, or 8 percent of the last $286 billion highway budget, was devoted to highway and bridge projects picked out by lawmakers. The grants are sent to states, which then decide how it will be spent.
A 5-cent increase in the 18.3 cents-a-gallon federal gasoline tax to establish a new trust fund for repairing or replacing structurally deficient highway bridges the Democratic chairman of the House Transportation Committee proposed .