NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - House Speaker Beth Harwell is working on an 11th-hour effort to make sweeping changes to fellow Republican Gov. Bill Haslam's road funding proposal to eliminate any increases in Tennessee's tax on gasoline.
Harwell, who is mulling a bid to succeed the term-limited governor next year, confirmed Wednesday that she plans to present her alternative plan next week when the bill comes up in its final standing committee before a full floor vote. The speaker said the details are not yet fully developed.
Haslam's plan calls for raising the gas tax by 6 cents per gallon over the next three years and diesel by 10 cents. It would also cut the sales tax on groceries, the tax on income from stocks and bonds and corporate taxes paid by manufacturers.