The Shad Plank: Hey, we're ALREADY taxing 'em... why not pile on?
Dave Hendrickson over at The Shad Plank doesn't have a problem with a regressive gas tax, for two reasons:
1. Republicans and Democrats have both proposed them.
2. HB 3202 already imposes taxes on everything else, why not on gasoline? It would be more useful to debate the merits and liabilities of various fund-raising mechanisms -- or even whether there's a need to raise money for transportation projects -- than to reach for ways to couch everything in attack language. Naturally, this mires the debate in "where are we getting the money" angle, thus completely missing the point.
The point is that VDOT is receiving plenty of money, and Virginia government shouldn't have to dip into the pockets of working families to get more. The problem isn't cash flow, it's how it's being spent.
Furthermore, if the funding mechanism were more, say -- creative, thoughtful, or innovative -- then the debate might be worth having. Instead, Virginia Democrats have chosen to throw more money at the problem without one iota of concern as to how it will be spent... or whom we're taking the money from.
The gas tax is both regressive and a short-term pool to draw from -- especially as fuel economies get better over time.
I'd like to think this is something lawmakers know and understand, so when regressive gasoline taxes which disproportionately attack working families are attacked in turn, don't be surprised. We should know better than to merely treat the symptomns of tax fatigue. Rather, we should be roundly critical of proposals that are short-term, short-sighted, and regressively punish working families.
UPDATE: Vivian Paige scolds me a bit -- not so much for opposing the $136 million raid on the pocketbooks of working familes, but for other things: Shaun - the problem was your headline and post. You made no effort to say anything like what you have posted here in it. You just blamed the Democrats. Pfft. Of course I blame the Democrats. Hanger and Stolle would be quite lonely if not for the insistence from Virginia Democrats that a $136 million gas tax in a $76,000 million budget is worthwhile as policy (it's not). It's a punitive tax and a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.
I am glad we are now talking about two things: (1) What's it going to be spent on? and (2) Does it need to be raised in the first place?
Good start -- let's discuss.
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Spank That Donkey 
2 Comments:
They are going to create an instant 5% inflation on all goods and services delivered via gasoline and presumbably diesel powered vehicles....
For instance the cost of housing... how do those materials get to the job site? Service calls via plumbers, HVAC, UPS and Fed Ex deliverys, etc, etc.
Boy that will help the economy... what about commuting tax payers just barely hanging on to their mortgages now? I thought Dems were concerned about that?
Taxes are the hidden inflation that keeps Europe in GDP growth of consistently in the 1% to 2% annually.. ask france and Germany.
Virginia government takes nearly 10% of my paycheck as it stands... someone should explain to me why they need more, rather than demand I make a creative argument as to why government shouldn't be entitled to more of my money.
It was simple 20 years ago... not so simple today, unfortunately.
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