Ted Pitts, head of the state's Chamber of Commerce, believes the state legislature may be close to passing what he calls much needed road legislation.
South Carolina is second only to Alaska, with the cheapest state fuel tax. The Senate is mulling over the House approved measure which calls for the increase, to be phased in gradually over a 5-year period, to bring in money for the state's roadways and bridge infrastructure improvement.
Gov. McMaster has declared he would veto any legislation, but the Senate can veto proof the measure, with a two-thirds supermajority" vote.
Pitts, whose group represents more than 18,000 businesses in the state, hopes the tax increase question will come up for a vote this week.