Acton Representative Votes in Favor of State Transportation Bill

$500 million in new taxes.

That's what the Massachusetts House of Representatives approved in a late-night vote Monday for its plan to make sorely needed improvements in Massachusetts roads, bridges and public transportation.

As reported by the Associated Press, the House approved the bill 97-55 after more than 10 hours of debate. It includes a gas tax hike of 3 cents per gallon and increased tobacco taxes. 

But that House bill is scaled back significantly from Gov. Deval Patrick's plan to bring in $2 billion in new revenue to help fund transportation and education. Among other measures, Patrick's plan calls for a hike in the state income tax.

Acton State Rep. Cory Atkins said she supported the bill.

"I voted in favor of the House transportation bill because it will address the immediate debt problems at the Department of Transportation and the MBTA," she said. "I deeply support the governor’s concept of investment, but I think his approach was flawed. The net effect of raising the income tax and reducing the sales tax would only have generated $110 million, which would have been an inadequate amount to fix our transportation system."

Democratic leaders say the bill would close the MBTA’s operating deficit, end the practice of borrowing to pay the salaries of state transportation employees, and provide an extra $100 million for local road projects, the Boston Globe reported.

"The governor proposed raising $1.08 billion by eliminating 44 personal income tax exemptions, including exemptions for health savings accounts, tuition payments, and capital gains on home sales," Atkins said. "Eliminating these deductions would have hurt middle class people. The House plan will eliminate the structural deficit at the MBTA and the Department of Transportation for the next five years without placing an undue burden on taxpayers."