Lawmakers consider big increase in vehicle weight taxes and fees
Hawaii drivers would have to pay higher registration and weight fees under legislation designed to raise money for repairs on the state’s well-worn roads.
Measures raising the fees passed the House Transportation Committee today, and similar bills cleared the Senate Transportation Committee earlier this week.
Vehicle registration fees would increase to $45 from $25 a year.
Weight fees would approximately double, with the heaviest vehicles paying the most.
The higher charges would raise a combined $56 million a year for paving, repairs, drainage, traffic signs, guardrails, lighting, sidewalks, landscaping and storm cleanup on nearly 2,500 miles of state roads.
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The new higher fees would be paid on each of an estimated 1.1 million vehicles in the state. On average, the increase amounts to about $51 per vehicle.