Politics

Coakley Draws A Blank: Gubernatorial Hopeful Doesn’t Know What The State Gas Tax Is [VIDEO]

Derek Hunter Contributor
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Massachusetts Democratic gubernatorial candidate Martha Coakley fumbled a very simple question by a WCVB reporter; “What is the current Massachusetts gas tax?”

Coakley was confused, asking “The percentage on the…?”

“How many cents per gallon?” the reporter explained.

“Uh, 10 cents?” she asked.

“Uh, 24 cents a gallon, up from 21. Next January it will rise again based on the inflationary indexing,” the reporter corrected.

WATCH:

Outgoing Governor Deval Patrick signed a law in 2013 raising the state’s gasoline tax from 21 cents per gallon to 24 cents, then pegging future gas taxes to inflation. On the ballot Tuesday is an initiative, Question 1, to repeal the indexing.

Indexing gas taxes to inflation would allow for future increases in the tax without the state legislature having to approve them.