The leader of a Senate transportation study committee proposes the state should levy $700 million in new taxes to support road maintenance as well as some other non-transportation related projects.
Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, said the proposal, which would be the largest state tax increase in more than 20 years, is only a starting point for discussion, and invited alternate proposals.
But some members of his committee quickly indicated they aren’t interested in that much spending, and may oppose any new taxes, especially the $150 million a year that Simmons proposed for university, community college, state agency and local water and sewer construction. Simmons admitted those extra items were “stretching it.” […]