Patrick says he hasn't decided on gas tax hike

Governor Deval Patrick emphasized at a news conference today that he has not decided yet whether to propose an increase in the state’s gas tax to address the state transportation system’s financing problems.

He said gas tax increases are just a few of the many options that he is discussing with his advisers.

“We haven’t landed in any particular place yet,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of decisions. ... We have a whole range of options on the table that are all from a menu intended to put our transportation network on a sustainable footing for the long term.”

The Globe reported today that Patrick is considering gas tax increases of 5 to 29 cents per gallon. The latter increase would raise the state’s rate to 52.5 cents per gallon, the highest in the nation.

Patrick also acknowledged he was interested in placing tolls on highways at the state’s borders and in open-road tolling, a method of imposing tolls without forcing cars to slow down, based on a chip installed in a vehicle inspection sticker.

Financial problems loom over both the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the MBTA. The governor and Legislature are working on plans to reform the system and solve the financial troubles.

“The choice that’s off the table is continuing to neglect this challenge,” Patrick said. “We have an enormous challenge in front of us, in terms of transportation and the sustainability of transportation over time.”