Expect higher price at the pump Aug. 1

Hawaii Island drivers are guaranteed to see a boost in gas prices Aug. 1 as higher fuel taxes take effect.

The Hawaii County Council last month approved increasing the tax from 8.8 cents per gallon to 15 cents this year, followed by additional 4-cent increases the next two years.

County finance officials previously estimated the new county taxes would start as early as October, noting that would have to be coordinated with the state Department of Transportation.

But Aaron Brown, county Department of Public Works business manager, said in an email that the 6.2-cent cent hike will go into effect next month. He cited a state statute that says new taxes “shall take effect on the first day of the second month following the date of resolution adoption of the resolution.”

Following implementation of the tax increase, Brown said Public Works will provide the council a report about how the additional monies are being used in each district, per the council’s resolution, but he didn’t state an estimate for when that could occur.

Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.