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A federal tax lawsuit that could change the way states tax the trucking industry is wending its way through the federal court system for a second time.

Four governors are preparing transportation funding plans to present to their legislatures early next year, and at least two governors are not ruling out higher fuel taxes.

Several lawmakers said last week they would consider raising fuel taxes to shore up the Highway Trust Fund, while an administration official warned against cutting transportation infrastructure programs because that could imperil public safety.

This column is an update of one I wrote for this publication a half-dozen years ago under the headline “Trucking Is Overtaxed” (2-6-06, p. 9). As the only slightly altered headline above says, taxes still cost the trucking industry far too much.

Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), who is expected to take over as chairman of the powerful House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said that everything from higher fuel taxes to tolling is on the table when it comes to making the Highway Trust Fund solvent.

Arkansas voters approved a measure to add a half-cent to the state’s 6-cent sales tax to pay for the widening of a dozen state highways and for major improvements on several others.

Atlanta-area voters rejected a proposed 1% sales tax increase last week that supporters said would have paid for $6.14 billion in transportation infrastructure projects over 10 years, a bipartisan proposal that had the backing of business groups, Georgia’s governor and Atlanta’s mayor.

Georgia voters in nine of 12 state regions rejected a 1% sales tax to pay for transportation projects, the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. Senate has rejected a bill that would have restored the bonus depreciation tax deduction for capital spending, a proposal supported by American Trucking Associations.

A $4 million tax break for Arkansas truckers took effect Monday with the start of the new fiscal year, the Associated Press reported.