Gas Taxes Going Up to Pay for Transportation? Hell Freezing Over?

By: Lowell
Published On: 1/30/2007 9:25:57 AM

Are gas taxes about to head up in Virginia?  Personally, I think that Frank Hargrove and Virgil Goode will stop making bigoted comments (and hell will freeze over) before THAT happens, but you never know.  Today, there's lots of discussion on this issue in the papers. 

For instance, the Washington Post writes that "[a] bipartisan group of senior state senators intends to offer legislation this week that would rely on a sales tax on gasoline to finance billions of dollars for road construction and maintenance..."  Reportedly, "motorists would pay a 5 percent sales tax in addition to Virginia's gas tax of 17.5 cents per gallon," earning "n extra $1.25 for every $25 in gasoline and would raise about $600 million every year" for transportation improvements.

Reaction to this plan runs the gamut, along largely predictable lines:
*Sen. Kenneth Stolle (R-Virginia Beach) says:

It's counterproductive and idiotic. It's the same as doing nothing. As sure as I'm standing here today, that bill will be dead on arrival in the House.

*Sen. Richard Saslaw (D-Fairfax) says:

They want to take the money from the schools, the state police and higher ed to pay for it, all to avoid charging anyone from out of state. They want to live with that; that's fine. But that's not a solution.

Saslaw adds that "40 percent of Virginia's interstate traffic is made up of people who do not live in the state," and therefore that a sales tax on gasoline would "allow the state to get money from out-of-state motorists and truckers who drive on the roads but do not pay local or state taxes."

Sounds pretty smart (and clever) to me.  What are Dick Cranwell and I missing here?

Meanwhile, the President of the Virginia Education Association, Princess Moss, is quoted in the Roanoke Times as follows:

If we can't do right by education now, how can we expect to do right when the traditional funding source for our schools is eroded to pave our roads?

Virginia is the seventh wealthiest state in the nation. Our taxes rank 41st. Raising our gas tax to the rate levied by our neighbors to the north or south would provide a better answer, as would removing the sales tax exemption from gasoline. There is a way to build highways without railroading our schools.

Again, I couldn't agree more.  Raiding the general fund - education, public safety, health care, etc. - to pay for transportation makes absolutely no sense, and in fact is morally wrong.  You'd think that moralistic Republicans might see that, but nooooo.  Apparently, it takes a Democrat to get the simple, Econ. 101 concept that those who use a service (in this case transportation) should pay for that service.  Duh.

Finally, the blog "Albo Must Go" which lambastes the transportation "strategy" of Del. Dave "Planet" Albo (R-Mars) for providing just "9.2% of what's projected to be NEEDED" for transportation in coming years, and also for "fund[ing] projects partly by stealing money from the General Fund." 

That, my friends, is the Republican Way.  In contrast, the Democratic (and Reasonable Republican) Way is to responsibly raise the revenues needed to make needed investments for our rapidly growing state.  If not, we may kill the goose that lays the golden egg in Fairfax County and elsewhere in Virginia.  Maybe the Dave Albos and Kenneth Stolles of the world don't give a damn, but the rest of us do.  Maybe we should replace the Dave Albos and Kenneth Stolles of the world with representatives who think more like the rest of us?


Comments



Glad to hear it. (Eric - 1/30/2007 10:14:42 AM)
I was making a similar comment (last week I believe) regarding raising gasoline taxes - with a similar "no way in hell" conclusion.  Despite the fact that it makes sense in so many ways the dopes in Richmond (by dopes, I mean the majority of elected Republicans) will never allow it to happen.

Stolle's quote is a perfect example - "the same as doing nothing"?  Ha.

I'd love to see much more (serious) discussion on this matter, but I'm not holding my breath.



These Republicans will do anything to block (Lowell - 1/30/2007 10:34:55 AM)
a dedicated funding stream for transportation, paid for in a fair and equitable way.  But that's Republicanism for ya; they'd rather let the economy grind to a halt (with all of us idling away in miserable traffic jams) rather than violate their theological opposition to raising revenues.  Pathetic.


$1.25 / 25 gallons (kevinceckowski - 1/30/2007 10:19:45 AM)
of gas is not bad.

Spread the pain all the way around the State is okay by many of us.  No "cents" having NOVA pay for it all when it benefits the entire state.



What does 10 cents More Mean (Gordie - 1/30/2007 11:05:36 AM)
When I fill up 1 car it amounts to $1.00 a tank full which will take me over 300 miles. When I fill the other car it amounts to about $2.00.

Where will that money go?
It will go into rebuilding our roads and infrastructure of transportation. It will make the sensible driver safer.

Now paying $1.99 a gal compared to $2.82 a gallon, where does that money go?

It goes into the pockets of Oil Executives and the Delegates of Virginia who own oil stock.

Just how does any one expect the Delegates of Virginia to vote?

Why for their Oil Company CEO's and the Delegate pockets.



I cant confirm.. (novademocrat - 1/30/2007 11:32:19 AM)
But I believe roughly 20% of that would be paid for by out-of-stater's who are visiting/driving through the Commonwealth....

not that bad...



An honest open question (novamiddleman - 1/30/2007 6:44:37 PM)
Daer readers of Raising Kaine

Are you looking for a debate on the issues or do you like having an echo chamber :P

Sincerely,

Novamiddleman



I can't speak for others... (Lowell - 1/30/2007 7:01:25 PM)
...but personally, I'm looking to state my views, get intelligent feedback, and hopefully have an enlightening discussion of the issue.  I'm not a big fan of echo chambers.


Feel free to start a debate (Eric - 1/30/2007 8:41:15 PM)
on any diary you wish.  Or better yet, write a diary yourself inviting a debate on the topic of your choice.