What happened: On Nov. 30 the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Committee advanced two infrastructure funding bills to the full legislature. The first would raise the state gas tax 15 cents per gallon over a 3-year period starting in July 2022. The second would allocate a 1 percent portion of Wyoming’s severance tax revenues to roads and community colleges.
Why it matters: The state hasn’t raised its gas tax since 2013 and faces a $245 million shortfall, according to a Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) representative. The latest proposal would raise the tax from 24 cents per gallon to 39 cents per gallon by 2024. WYDOT would invest the new revenue in highway construction and repair projects. The bill also explicitly prohibits using the increased revenues for WYDOT operations or administrative expenses.
What’s next: Wyoming’s four-week legislative budget session begins Feb. 14, 2022. ARTBA-TIAC will monitor developments there and in state legislatures nationwide.