Prices at the pump hit another record today, June 10, 2022, something we are all hoping is temporary... But there will be a more permanent increase next month as RTC is increasing the fuel tax in Washoe County.
The current average for a gallon of gas in Reno is $6.02. Last week it was 22 cents cheaper at $5.80, a month ago it was $5.28 and a year ago the average sat at $3.83.
The RTC fuel tax, which goes up every year based on inflation and the producer price index, is going up.
Right now, for every gallon of gas you pump here in Washoe County, 41.9 cents go to RTC. Come July 1st, however, and it will be bumped up to 43.79 cents, an increase of 1.89 cents a gallon.
“Where do you cut in other places to make sure you can afford gas? You can't cut it at the grocery store, because that's killing us too, so where do you make cuts?" said Reno Local and single mother, Breezy Anderson.
“It's effecting people who want to go on vacation...I can't go anywhere, I can barely buy food, it's rough and it's getting rougher," said Sparks local, Kathy Genner.
This was not just a move the RTC randomly performed. It's something that we the voters decided on in 2008, giving RTC one of their main sources of revenue.
“Voters approved this tax, voters decided that they wanted to really have a strong regional transportation network, and this gas tax provides for that," said Lauren Ball with RTC.
Along with massive projects, fuel tax funds are also used for maintenance and preservation of existing roadways, which officials say is paramount.
“It's one of the RTC's main sources of revenue, if you’ve driven on roads like the southeast connector, Virginia street, Oddie and Wells, any of those major projects that we have going on, fuel tax plays a major roll in all of those," said Ball.
In fact, RTC has close to $5 billion worth of projects planned for the next 30 years, the majority of that funding coming from the fuel tax. But is there a way to freeze the fuel tax until prices are under control?
“The RTC is not aware of any plans to change or repeal the gas tax at this time," stated Ball.
While no one likes paying more at the pump, if you really crunch the numbers, every $70 you spend on gas after the first equates to just around a quarter more that's going to the RTC.
