Jerry Robertson fills a car’s tank at a Circle K convenience store in Pendleton. Residents of Lexington decided May 21. 2024, they did not want the town's proposal for a 1-3 cent per gallon tax on motor vehicle fuel. 

LEXINGTON — Voters in Lexington don’t believe they need to pay any additional tax on motor vehicle fuel come Election Day.

Sixty-eight voters cast ballots in the election Tuesday, May 21, to decide the fate of the tax proposal, which failed 56% to 44%, or 38-30 votes.

The tax would vary between 1-3 cents per gallon, depending on the time of year, and would have been used to maintain streets.

“The maintenance of local streets is currently paid with Lexington’s share of state gas tax funds, which are declining and are no longer enough to support needed maintenance of streets,” according to the city’s proposal.

The state tax in Oregon on motor vehicle fuel is $.40 per gallon.