Asked whether a gas tax would be part of that plan, Patrick said, “It would surprise me if it were.’’
The administration has hinted for months that officials are looking for an opening to revisit new forms of transportation revenue to address needs in the state’s network of roads, rails, bridges, and maritime infrastructure, particularly with the likelihood that federal support will erode in the coming months.
In addition, MBTA officials have argued that they have run out of cost-saving opportunities and will have to revisit fare increases or service cuts without additional opportunities for new funding. It was that same quandary that led lawmakers to begin discussing transportation revenue in 2009, a conversation that resulted in a 25 percent increase in the state sales tax, partly dedicated to support the Massachusetts Turnpike and the MBTA.
After coming around to support an increase in the gas tax, citing the constitutional requirement that the proceeds may be spent only on transportation priorities, Patrick proposed an 11-cent increase in the tax in 2009. Lawmakers quickly shot it down in favor of the sales tax hike. Gas prices have since shot up.
During remarks to the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce at a downtown Boston event Thursday morning, Patrick recalled his defeat on the gas tax.
“It went down in flames,’’ he said. “I got my head handed to me. I still think it’s a good idea, but it’s not going anywhere.’’
Patrick described the need for “an adult conversation’’ about transportation revenues to shore up an aging system with multi-billion-dollar maintenance backlogs and crushing debt loads. His remarks echoed similar comments made by Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray in recent weeks.
After the event, Patrick was asked when the “adult conversation’’ might take place.
“I don’t know, to tell you the truth,’’ he said. “We’re trying to sort out a couple of other things.
