Nashua State Rep. David Campbell, chairman of the House Public Works and Highways Committee, fielded testimony Tuesday in favor of HB 617, which would increase New Hampshire's gas tax by 12 cents over three years, as reported by the Nashua Telegraph.

As the bill's primary sponsor, Campbell says money raised by the tax would be dedicated to construction and repair of state infrastructure, including local highways, roads and bridges.

As currently written, the bill would:

• Establish the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account.

• Increase the road toll over a three-year period.

• Increase the vehicle registration fee for certain classes of vehicles.

• Provide for adjustment in payments by the department of transportation to municipalities for highway construction and reconstruction aid when such payments are based on estimated revenue.

Campbell said the legislation would increase the gas tax from 18 to 30 cents per gallon by 2015, and taxpayers would see an increase of $15 to motor vehicle registration fees, with the potential to raise more than $1 billion over a 10-year period.

“There may be other sources of revenue, but there’s not enough there to do the job that needs to be done,” bill co-sponsor Sen. David Watters, D-Dover, was quoted as saying in the Telegraph story. “Our roads are broken and we need to fix them.”

A committee recommendation on the bill is expected Feb. 21. If passed, the changes would go into effect July 1, 2013.

Link to text of HB 617: "Increasing the rate of the road toll, increasing the vehicle registration fee, and establishing the New Hampshire state and municipal road and bridge account."