State gas tax

The heads of the Mississippi legislature's two transportation committees are considering raising the gas tax to maintain highways and bridges.

Department of Transportation executive director, Melinda McGrath told transportation committees earlier this month that the department needs $526 million more a year to repair more than one-third of highways and nearly one-fourth of the state's bridges.

Mississippi Economic Council vice president, Scott Waller repeated McGrath's earlier warnings Thursday.

The legislature last approved a major increase in funding for transportation repairs in 1987.