Each year, hardworking Hoosiers spend roughly $500 on vehicle repairs due to poor roads. Based on years of data analysis and research, Indiana House Republicans this session developed a solution to maintain Indiana’s infrastructure.
A bipartisan task force using expert analysis determined Indiana requires an average of $1.2 billion in additional annual funding over the next 20 years to maintain and improve our roads and bridges.
Recently, the governor signed into law a plan that ensures those who use and benefit from the roads help pay for them. The plan provides nearly $900 million in new annual funding for state roads and bridges by 2024, and local communities will see an average of $300 million in new road and bridge funding each year.
By increasing user fees by 10 cents per gallon on gasoline and special fuel and motor carrier surcharge fees, lost buying power due to inflation will be restored. These fees have not been adjusted since 2003 for gasoline and 1988 for the others. These user fees will be indexed annually for the next seven years but wouldn’t increase more than 1 cent per year. This will result in Hoosiers spending about $5 more a month, on average.
Ensuring the taxes paid at the pump actually go toward Indiana’s roads and bridges was also a key priority. The remaining 4.5 cents of the sales tax on gasoline would be shifted over five years starting in 2020 from the state’s general fund to the State Highway Fund, which is dedicated exclusively to roads and bridges. By 2024, every cent in state tax paid at the gas pump will be dedicated solely toward road and bridge funding.
The Local Road and Bridge Matching Grant Fund, which matches local governments 50/50 or 75/25 for local infrastructure projects, are projected to almost double by 2021. This fund helps provide assistance to Indiana communities, and gives them the ability to maintain and improve their local infrastructure.
As always, please contact me with questions or input at 317-234-3827 or by email at h67@iga.in.gov. I appreciate hearing from you in order to better represent our district. Stay up-to-date with the work being done at the Statehouse by signing up to receive my email updates at www.in.gov/h67.
-30-
State Rep. Frye (R-Greensburg) represents House District 67, which includes Ohio, Ripley and Switzerland counties, as well as portions of Decatur, Jennings, Jefferson and Dearborn counties.
A high-resolution photo of Frye can be downloaded by clicking here.
