Former presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg mentioned a possible increase of the federal gas tax during a confirmation hearing in Washington, but an aide later said an increase wasn't "on the table."
AASHTO's Daily Transportation Update reported on a Roll Call story that details how Buttigieg, testifying before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee at his confirmation hearing to be secretary of Transportation, was pressed on the possibility of a gas tax increase by Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla.
“Would you support gas tax increases, and if so, how much?” asked Scott.
“I think all options need to be on the table,” Buttigieg replied, as chronicled by Roll Call. “As you know, the gas tax has not been increased since 1993 and it’s never been pegged to inflation, and that is one of the reasons why the current state of the Highway Trust Fund is that there’s more going out than coming in.”
Later, a spokesperson for the former mayor said that though "a variety of options need to be on the table...increasing the gas tax is not among them."
Source AASHTO/Roll Call
