KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Drivers will not pay more in fees for each gallon of gas they buy in Missouri. Tuesday voters shot down a proposal to raise the fuel tax.
Proposition D failed with 54 percent of ballots casting a "no" vote.
Instead of the Missouri Department of Transportation funding the Missouri State Highway Patrol, money from this tax would have paid for the agency, thus allowing MoDOT to spend more on bridge and road repairs.
Voters proved they do not want a tax. Raytown voters shot down a similar fuel fee in the August primary election.
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MoDOT Director Patrick McKenna said it will be difficult to prioritize projects without the extra funding.
He released this statement after the results became final.
“We are disappointed that Proposition D failed, but the people of Missouri have spoken, and we respect that. Our top priorities are safety and taking care of what we have, and that is where we will continue to focus our attention. We will continue to do the best we can with what we have for as long as we can. Setting priorities among the many equally important transportation projects will be a tough job with limited resources, but we’ll continue to work closely with planning partners, local communities and customers to address Missouri’s most pressing needs.”
A group advocating for Prop D, SaferMo.com, expressed disappointment in the results but said it will continue to work toward improving Missouri's roads.
Scott Charton, the SaferMO.com communications director, said in a statement:
“The election outcome is disappointing, but seeking new funding for Missouri’s proven critical infrastructure needs was still the right thing to do. There will be time to analyze the election results, but for now, the people have spoken. Election Day is over, but MoDOT still has a job to do. That job is even more critical, because the need for resources was real before Election Day and that need remains. We are confident MoDOT will do the best it can with what it has for safety and to take care of the system. Meanwhile, this campaign’s conversation about how to do better cannot end. The safety of Missourians and our economic future depend on it."
Missouri's current gas tax is 17 cents per gallon — the 49th lowest in the country. Voters last raised the tax in 1996. In Kansas, the gas tax is set at 24 cents.
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