TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)--In hopes of balancing a budget shortfall, Leon County is considering raising gas taxes the increase could result in you paying more at the pumps.
For drivers like Jerry and Julie Thomas, they always feel pressure at the pumps.
"The gas should be going down, we can't afford it already, the prices that we're paying," said Jerry Thomas.
Already struggling to fill up this truck Jerry and his wife aren't happy Leon County commissioners are now proposing an additional 5-cent gas tax to pay for construction on county roads.
Its a process that's been going on for but commissioner Bryan Desloge says the money has run out.
"We're concerned about everybody in the community, but we have to figure out how do we pay for the roads and manage the roads we have there," said Desloge.
Desloge says the county collects about $8 million dollars of gas tax a year, but spends $12 million on maintenance and construction for the roads leaving a $4 million dollar shortfall. The additional tax would bring in about $5 million dollars which would be split with the city.
But drivers say they shouldn't have to foot the bill.
"That would mean we would have to pay more in gas prices to fill our tanks just for ways for them to balance the budget," said Billy Stoffel.
"If they go up, i don't know how in the world are we going to maintain gas for this car and to get around and to get to doctors appointments that I need," said Thomas.
Desloge says each gas station would be taxed the extra $.05 per gallon, but it'll be up the individual companies to raise their prices.
"They can decide that they don't want to raise it automatically, but in most cases you would assume they'll probably push their prices up," said Desloge.
