CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A bipartisan effort to boost transportation funding in North Carolina by adding a small tax to ride-share services such as Uber and Lyft moved ahead at the statehouse Wednesday.
The proposal would also allow more toll roads in the state, and it would boost fees on electric vehicles and increase the purchase tax on expensive vehicles.
Senate Bill 354 is part of a long-running effort to come to terms with North Carolina’s transportation needs, as the state’s population grows and the gas tax revenue that funds the lion’s share of transportation projects struggles to keep pace. Lawmakers are looking for new revenue sources, particularly as a rise in fuel efficiency and the popularity of electric vehicles cuts gasoline consumption and, thus, revenue.
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