Oklahoma voters say ' NO' to a hike in gasoline and diesel taxes

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A proposal to raise state fuel taxes to fix state roads and bridges was defeated in a single-item statewide election.<br/><br/>More than 80 percent of voters rejected the plan to

Tuesday, September 13th 2005, 11:39 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A proposal to raise state fuel taxes to fix state roads and bridges was defeated in a single-item statewide election.

More than 80 percent of voters rejected the plan to raise the 17-cent-per-gallon gas tax and the 14-cent diesel tax to 22 cents.

The unofficial election results statewide were 50,969 votes in favor and 347,795 votes opposed to the tax increases.

Neal McCaleb is president of Oklahomans for Safe Bridges and Roads, a coalition pushing the proposition. McCaleb had feared the measure was in trouble because of high gasoline prices.

McCaleb says it's an uphill push for people to vote a tax increase. The fuel tax plan has been hurt by the escalation of the price of gasoline even before the Hurricane Katrina.

Almost 290,000 Oklahomans signed petitions to get the issue on the ballot. But that was when gasoline prices were about $1 less than Tuesday's $2.79 average price for a gallon of regular gasoline.