Pa. has nation's highest motor-fuel taxes, energy agency's survey says
Pennsylvanians pay the highest motor-fuel taxes in the country, according to a ranking released Tuesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Pennsylvanians pay the highest motor-fuel taxes in the country, according to a ranking released Tuesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
State gasoline taxes and fees ranged from a low of 8.95 cents per gallon in Alaska to 51.4 cents per gallon in Pennsylvania, according to an EIA survey of gas taxes as of Jan. 1. That does not include an additional federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon.
Pennsylvania's state tax is 24.9 cents more per gallon than the national average, 26.5 cents.
State taxes on diesel averaged 27.4 cents per gallon, and ranged from 8.95 cents in Alaska to 65.1 cents in Pennsylvania. Those taxes are in addition to the 24.4 cent-per-gallon federal diesel tax.
The Pennsylvania legislature approved a phased-in motor-fuel tax increase in 2013 to pay for infrastructure improvements and mass transit.
At that time, the national average state tax was 31.2 cents, and California was tops with 53.2 cents. California's tax, which fluctuates with the retail price of fuel, is now 37.16 cents.
Washington state, which increased its fuel tax by 7 cents a gallon last year, is now the No. 2 state behind Pennsylvania, with a 44.62 cent-per-gallon state tax.
New Jersey has among the nation's lowest gasoline taxes at 14.55 cents, or nearly 37 cents less per gallon than Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania's gasoline tax actually declined by 0.2 cents per gallon on Jan. 1 from last year's rate, saving motorists 3 cents on a 15-gallon fill-up.
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