Virginia Legislation Proposes Pump Toll, ABC Manager Change

The Virginia House of Representatives is considering a bill that would establish the nation's first pump toll, while a separate state Senate proposal would require a convenience store ABC manager to have U.S. residency.

January 20, 2012

RICHMOND, Va. - Two bills before the Virginia Assembly would significantly impact the state??s convenience stores, said Michael O??Connor, president of the Virginia Petroleum Convenience and Grocery Association.

House bill 802 would establish the nation??s first pump toll by starting every motor fuel purchase at 50 cents, with the half dollar going to the state fuels tax fund and additional taxes on wholesale gas and diesel. "This would total would be about $600 million per year," said O??Connor.

The measure would also add an additional 50 cent tax for every sale over 35 gallons, add a new tax of $1 for every 12 gallons of wholesale gasoline sold, and add another new tax of $1 for every 60 gallons of wholesale diesel sold. "Our association has a longstanding policy that fuels taxes must continue to be assessed at the pump, not be tied to any artificial index, and be transparent to the industry and motoring public. House bill 802 meets none of those tests and we will oppose it strongly," said O??Connor.

Over in the Senate, State Sen. Frank Wagner has introduced Senate bill 515 that would require that every convenience store ABC manager, who has to be present in the store at all times, to be either a "resident of the U.S." or legally present in the U.S." O??Connor said his group would closely monitor this bill.

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