Business Groups May Withdraw Gas Tax Support

Two Massachusetts business groups are threatening to abandon their support of a state gas tax increase unless lawmakers do more to reform the state transportation system.

The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation and the Association of Industrial Office Properties say a Senate bill passed last week failed to include needed reforms of health care and pension benefits for public workers.

The Taxpayers Foundation's President Michael Widmer says the bill's system restructuring plan also presents a problem.

"The major restructuring in the legislation is much too complicated and difficult," Widmer explains, "And will end up causing massive confusion in the transportation bureaucracies for years to come."

The business groups have said a 25-cent gas tax hike is needed.

Governor Deval Patrick has proposed a 19-cent increase.