U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants gasoline tax hike

By KATHRYN MCGARR | 7/15/09 4:46 PM EDT


The U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbied Congress to quickly reauthorize a multi-year transportation program and hike the federal gasoline tax to help pay for it. Photo: AP

Bucking the White House in a dispute over new highway funding, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lobbied Congress Wednesday to quickly reauthorize a multi-year transportation program and hike the federal gasoline tax to help pay for it.

“The American business community is saying we don’t see this as a tax. This is a user fee, and those people that use these roads and bridges ought to be contributing to the maintenance, upkeep and expansion where that needs to be done,â€