Pennsylvania Senator Calls For Increased Vehicle Registration And License Fees
By Tony Romeo
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) - A key state senator says he wants to raise vehicle registration and drivers license fees to generate more money for transportation in Pennsylvania.
Governor Corbett has proposed lifting the cap on gasoline taxes at the wholesale level to raise new money for roads, bridges and mass transit. Suburban Philadelphia Republican John Rafferty is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
"What he proposed in his budget speech I don't believe is enough to meet the transportation needs of Pennsylvania going forward."
The governor proposes lengthening vehicle registration fee renewals to a two-year cycle and drivers' license renewals to a six-year cycle. But Rafferty wants to go farther and increase license and registration fees to compensate for years of inflation, and increase fines for moving violations.
Rafferty also says a change in federal law has opened the door to tolling Interstate bridges, that's something that will have be decided by a commission created by a new state law that allows the state to partner with private companies on transportation projects.
