The bill that would like Wyoming’s fuel tax by 10 cents a gallon is now on its way to the state senate. On Friday, the Wyoming House approved the measure that raises state taxes on fuel from 14 cents to 24 cents a gallon.

Supporters of the bill say it will give Wyoming a long-term funding mechanism for needed road and highway maintenance and for new road construction.

Governor Mead  (pictured) supports the tax hike.

He says he knows no one likes an increase in taxes but he says Wyoming needs to do something now about finding needed funding for the state’s roads and highway and not put the issue off any longer.

Wyoming’s highway budget in recent years has had a 130 million dollars shortfall.

Mead says the fuel tax hike will raise about 70 million dollars a year.