Fuel tax supporters refile initiative petition

Saturday, September 25th 2004, 11:13 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A clerical error has forced supporters of higher state fuel taxes to refile their initiative petition to raise new funds for Oklahoma's highways and bridges.

The petition, filed Sept. 18 with the Oklahoma Secretary of State's office by Oklahomans for Safe Bridges and Roads, was refiled Thursday.

Supporters said a revised petition was filed because state law requires an affidavit to be printed on the back of each signature page of the petition.

The petition calls for a statewide vote to raise the state's 17-cent per gallon gasoline tax and 14-cent per gallon diesel tax to 22 cents each over a three-year period. Oklahoma currently has the lowest fuel user fees in the eight-state region.

If approved by voters, it also would create a transportation trust fund for fuel tax revenue so it could not be used for anything else except highways and bridges.

Supporters have said the fuel tax increase would raise an additional $150 million for roads and bridges.

The organization has 90 days to collect enough signatures to get a vote on the issue. The group has said it wants a special election.

The number of signatures needed will depend on when they are submitted to the Secretary of State.