ALEC report confirms Improve Act was a massive tax increase.

Americans for Prosperity – Tennessee (AFP-TN), the state’s leading grassroots organization, announced a statewide tour beginning in July to thank legislators who voted against raising the gas tax.

Governor Haslam’s Improve Act, which takes effect July 1, will raise the price of gas, diesel, and vehicle registration fees. As documented by a recent ALEC report, Tennessee taxpayers can expect to pay an additional two-billion-dollars over the next 10 years. Advocates of the gas tax hike claimed the legislation was revenue neutral since it included a one percent cut to the food tax and the previously approved Hall income tax repeal.

AFP-TN State Director Andy Ogles commented on the impending tax hike. “We knew the Improve Act was a tax increase for most Tennesseans. Now that the Rich States, Poor States report is out, legislators who claimed the Improve Act was a tax cut are eerily silent. It is a shame only 43 lawmakers opposed this massive two-billion-dollar tax hike even as Tennessee had over a billion-dollar surplus, but those that did stand up for taxpayers deserve our thanks.”

The group will deliver awards to legislators who advocated for their communities and all Tennesseans with fiscal responsibility. The “Champion of Prosperity” award will be given to select lawmakers who scored 90 or higher in AFP-TN’s biannual legislative scorecard and voted against raising the gas tax.

Ogles added, “We will continue the fight to repeal the gas tax hike. It’s is clear proponents of the gas tax distorted the numbers and hid the truth on the real impact of the gas tax increase; it’s time Tennesseans hold legislators accountable for voting to increase taxes by $2 Billion while our state has a record surplus of their tax dollars.”