Oklahoma Legislator Suggests Diesel Tax to Finance Railroad Growth

An Oklahoma state senator wants to finance railroad growth by taxing truckers at the gas pump.

Sen. Dave Herbert introduced a joint resolution calling for a special referendum to ask voters to approve a two-cent per gallon increase in diesel fuel taxes and a penny per gallon increase for gasoline. The measure has cleared the Senate Finance Committee.

The increased revenue would be used to enhance local railroad and intermodal infrastructure and to link stations in Oklahoma City and Tulsa to Amtrak’s national passenger network.

"Obviously Amtrak is trying any way it can to extricate itself from the sea of red that it’s in so this is one of the ways I think they’re trying to do it," said George Tomek, executive director of the Oklahoma Trucking Association.