Increase in January pumps likely due to higher Pennsylvania gas tax – The Morning Call

Pennsylvania drivers don’t want to hear this, but when the calendar turns to 2023, prices are likely to go up.

State gas taxes, which are assessed at the wholesale level, will increase starting January 1. Law No. 89 of 2013, signed into law during the Corbett administration, mandates this increase in payments for road and bridge projects.

This is an increase for wholesalers, so it doesn’t mean that the pump will automatically pass the tax on to the consumer. But that is the expected result.

According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania’s gas tax will increase from just under 58 cents to more than 61 cents a gallon.

This will also affect diesel fuel taxes, which rise from over 74 cents to 78.5 cents per gallon. Pennsylvania now has the second-highest diesel fuel tax rate in the country, behind California, which charges $0.795 per gallon, the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association said.

The national average price for auto gasoline was $3.12 a gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA. The average price in Pennsylvania, which has one of the highest gas taxes in the nation, is $3.66 per gallon.

Gasoline prices peaked at over $5 a gallon in June.

PennDOT spokesperson Alexis Campbell said Governor Tom Wolf has repeatedly called for the gas tax to be phased out. This is a burden on Pennsylvanians because they can’t get the job done.

“But getting rid of the gas tax will require identifying a continuous and steady stream of revenue to finance infrastructure. Repair roads, keep bridges safe, clean air and water for all. “This will give Pennsylvania the resources it needs to ensure a sustainable economy,” she said. I will work with the General Assembly to find alternative sources of funding for its success.”

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