Getting hit at the pump: Wash. drivers could pay highest gas tax in U.S.

SEATTLE -- If Washington lawmakers succeed in passing a 10-cent gas tax hike, drivers in our state would pay the highest gasoline tax rates in the country.

Washington residents currently pay 37.6 cents in federal and state taxes per gallon of gas, the third most expensive rate in the country, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. California residents pay the most in gasoline taxes, at more than 38 cents per gallon.

The gas tax hike is part of a $10 billion transportation package proposed by House Democrats to keep up with the state's growing backlog of road and bridge repair projects.

Washington is already one of the most expensive places to fill your tank, with the average price per gallon of regular unleaded gasoline currently costing about $3.90, according to AAA. That's the fifth highest average in the U.S.