Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has decided not to pursue a gas tax hike during this year's legislative session.
The Memphis Daily News reports that Haslam confirmed he is "not going to propose a bill this year to raise taxes."
The governor's comments were made on a WKNO-TV program hosted by Daily News publisher Eric Barnes that airs Friday evening.
Haslam had traveled the state to draw attention to what he has described as a $6.1 billion backlog of projects already approved - but not funded - by the Legislature. But lawmakers are wary about approving a tax hike in an election year.
The state's gas tax of 21.4 cents per gallon was last raised in 1989.
