Email Insights: Governor Kay Ivey’s one-page outline of gas tax increase plan

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On Friday afternoon Governor Kay Ivey’s office sent out the proposed bill to increase the gas tax along with a one-page summary. Here is that summary in full:

The Rebuild Alabama Act Summary

New Revenue
· 6 Cents, Effective October 1, 2019
· 2 Cents, Effective October 1, 2020
· 2 Cents, Effective October 1, 2021

Distribution of New Revenue
· State – 66.67%
· Counties – 25%
· Municipalities – 8.33%

Use of New Revenue

ALDOT, Counties, and Municipalities cannot use the new revenue for:
– Salaries or other compensation that are not direct project costs, purchase or maintenance of equipment, or building structures or buildings that are not installed as part of a road or bridge project.

ALDOT, Counties, and Municipalities can only use the new revenue for:
· Maintenance or construction of roads and bridges, match funds for federal road or bridge projects, or the payment of any debt, subject to certain limits in the Act, associated with road or bridge projects.

All new revenue paid to ALDOT and separately to counties and municipalities shall be deposited into a separate fund.

· ALDOT’s proceeds flow to the Rebuild Alabama Fund that will be audited annually and ALDOT will annually report to the Joint Transportation Committee itemized specific projects.
· County and municipality proceeds shall also be audited and reported by the Examiners of Public Accounts.
Index

Beginning June 1, 2023, and every other year thereafter:
· The Department of Revenue will calculate the National Highway Construction Cost Index (NHCCI) issued by the US Federal Highway Association for the current year compared against the previous year.
· Cannot increase OR decrease by more than 1 cent.

Electric/Hybrid Fees

· $250 license and registration fee on elective vehicles (EVs), $125 on hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs).
· Distribution of the first $150 on EVs, and first $75 on HEVs, shall be distributed 66.67% to the state, 25% to the counties, and 8.33% to municipalities.
· Remainder shall be deposited in the Rebuild Alabama Fund to support the Electric Transportation Infrastructure Grant Program until 2% of the total vehicle registrations in AL are EVs and HEVs. Port Funding

Up to $10,200,000 annually will be distributed for the purpose to finance the improvement of the ship channel providing access to the facilities of the Alabama State Docks.
· Such funds to service bond indebtedness not to exceed $150,000,000. Will terminate at the earlier of June 1, 2035 or when the debt is repaid.

TOTAL COST OF BILL TO AVERAGE ALABAMA DRIVER: $55 a year, $4.58 a month (Source: Alabama Transportation Institute based on 12,000 annual miles and 22MPG).