Smith calls for gas tax hike to pay for roadwork
John Arthur Smith
Posted: Thursday, February 5, 2015 7:00 pm | Updated: 11:07 pm, Thu Feb 5, 2015.
An influential Democrat in the state Legislature known for his middle-of-the road fiscal pragmatism ripped Gov. Susana Martinez’s plan to spend $300 million on highway construction over the next five years, calling it “irresponsible.”
Senate Finance Committee Chairman John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, who is regarded as a moderate for frequently breaking party ranks to side with Republicans, said he is worried that the governor’s approach would leave behind a legacy of debt.
Smith said he will soon introduce his own plan to pay for projects on state and local roads with a 5-cents-a-gallon increase in the gasoline tax by 2019 and higher fees for long-haul interstate trucks.