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NEWSCENTER 5’S DAVID BIENICK IS FOLLOWING THE DEBATE FROM OUR STATE HOUSE BUREAU, DAVID? >> THE DEBATE ON THIS BILL IS TAKING PLACE IN THE HOUSE. REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN DEBATING SINCE ABOUT NOON TODAY. IT WOULD RAISE 612 MONEY IN DOLLARS -- $612 MILLION BY RAISING THE GAS TAX AND DIESEL TAX, INCREASE RIGHT HAILING FEES , CORPORATE TAXES, AND TAXES PAID PLATE RENTAL CAR COMPANIES. THEY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO PARE DOWN THE TAXES WITH AMENDMENTS TODAY. >> THIS POTENTIALLY HAS TO SAVE CITIES AND TOWNS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR. LET IT REMAIN WITH HIM. >> WE WOULD LOVE TO GIVE HIM EVERYTHING BACK, BUT THEY ARE GETTING THE BENEFIT OF THIS BILL AND MONEY BACK TO THEIR CITIES AND TOWNS. >> THE HOUSE VOTED DOWN THAT AMENDMENT AND VIRTUALLY ALL OTHERS THAT HAVE COME UP SO FAR. THE DEBATE IS LASTING INTO THE EVENING AND TOMORROW. IF IT PASSES THE HOUSE,

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The Massachusetts House of Representatives gave approval Wednesday to a major bill that Democratic leaders say will generate more than half a billion dollars for transportation needs through increases in taxes or fees on gasoline, corporations, vehicle purchases by rental car companies, and ride-hailing services.Representatives voted 113-40 mostly along party lines to advance the bill that is expected to generate between $522 and $612 million annually.Democratic House Speaker Robert DeLeo said the money is needed to help pay for repairs to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority as well as maintain roads and bridges in other areas of the state. “This should be no surprise,” DeLeo said. “When it comes to our transportation system, revenue can’t wait.”Beside increasing the state gas tax from 24 cents to 29 cents per gallon, the bill would tack on an additional 4 cents on diesel fuel — also currently taxed by the state at 24 cents per gallon — resulting in a 9-cent per gallon tax increase on diesel fuel.The gas tax hike is expected to bring in an extra $150 to $175 million annually, while the diesel tax increase would bring in an extra $32 million.The bill would also hike fees on ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft. The fee on non-shared rides would increase from 20 cents per ride to $1.20 per ride. The fees for luxury rides would jump by $1 per ride to $2.20. The fees for shared rides would remain at 20 cents.The increased fees are expected to bring in up to $145 million more annually. The bill would retain a provision that the companies can't pass the fee hike on to customers. The bill's proposal to end the sales tax exemption currently enjoyed by car rental companies for their vehicle purchases could bring in another $110 million, according to House leaders.The city of Boston and another municipality in the MBTA's coverage area would each gain a seat on the Fiscal and Management Control Board that oversees the T under an amendment the House approved to the revenue bill. After adopting an amendment filed by Brighton Rep. Kevin Honan, the bill now extends the board and expands it from five seats to seven. Boston's mayor would appoint one of the seats, while the second new position — which, like the remainder of the existing board, would be appointed by the governor — must be a municipal official from one of the 51 cities and towns inside the T's coverage area.During debate Wednesday, the House rejected most amendments that would have substantially altered the bill, including one that would require money brought in by the gas tax to fund free public transit buses and another that would have sunsetted the tax hikes if a proposed surtax on household income above $1 million — currently on track for a 2022 ballot question — goes into effect.DeLeo and other elected officials had pledged for months to tackle new revenue for transportation, hoping to revitalize the aging and unreliable MBTA system, inject more money into road maintenance, and offer greater support to regional transit authorities.Republican Gov. Charlie Baker has been cool to new taxes but has also pushed a regional, multistate pact that would tackle transportation emissions while also increasing the price of gas from 5 cents to 17 cents per gallon.House leaders said if the plan is ultimately adopted, the 5-cent gas tax in their bill would account for the first 5-cent increase as part of the pact instead of being an additional tax burden.The bill would also create a commission of experts to study congestion pricing and tolling systems designed to change commuter behavior.The funding generated from the bill would, in part, help the state maintain its statutory annual transfer of about $160 million to the MBTA. Money would also go to regional transit authorities and rural transit assistance.Information from the State House News Service and Associated Press was used in this report.