NASHVILLE - More Tennesseans back Gov. Bill Haslam's plan to raise fuel taxes for roads than oppose it but an estimated one third of registered voters say in a new Middle Tennessee State University survey that they remain on the fence.
Thirty-eight percent of the 600 voters surveyed said they support the Republican governor's proposal to raise gas and diesel taxes for transportation.
Twenty-eight percent were opposed. Even more - 33 percent - said they were undecided.
The MTSU survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
It was released today at the Tennessee Press Association's winter meeting in Nashville.
The findings come as Haslam's legislation faces its first test this morning in the House Transportation Subcommittee.
Haslam is proposing raising the levy on gas by 7 cents per gallon and hiking diesel by 12 cents per gallon.
At the same time, Haslam's plan calls for cutting three taxes, which support the general fund that pays for most non-highway programs.
The MTSU poll also found mixed approval of Republican Donald Trump's job performance.
Fifty-one percent of those surveyed approved of the job Trump is doing.
Twenty-seven percent disapproved. Another 20 percent were undecided or didn't answer.
Trump won Tennessee with 61 percent in the November election.