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Staff brief outlines Utah’s transportation funding mix, pressures on gas‑tax revenue
Summary
Legislative staff told the Transportation Interim Committee that Utah funds roads through a mix of gas tax, vehicle registration fees and sales‑tax earmarks and said pressure on gas‑tax purchasing power is driving consideration of supplemental revenue options.
Legislative staff gave the Transportation Interim Committee a high‑level briefing on how Utah pays for roads and some alternatives the state has used or could consider.
Rachel Brooks, policy analyst with Legislative Research and General Counsel, said the state’s core dedicated funding streams for roads are the gas tax, vehicle registration fees and a set percentage of state sales tax directed to transportation accounts. Kurt Gosser and Riley Williams outlined the difference between constitutionally restricted vehicle‑related revenues (gas tax and most registration fees) and sales‑tax earmarks that can fund active transportation and transit projects.
The federal gas tax remains 18.4¢ per gallon. Staff explained the long‑term problem: vehicle fuel efficiency has risen while the federal gas tax has stayed flat, and construction costs have…
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