Yet another Senate Democrat is calling for higher gas taxes. Today, it’s Russell County’s Phil Puckett (Roanoke Times via From on High):
Virginia lawmakers in both parties appear ready to scrap the state’s controversial “abusive driver” fees. But they are far from agreeing on how, or whether, the state should replace revenue the fees were supposed to generate.
Lawmakers in both parties have filed bills to abolish the fees, but only a few have proposed new ways to generate maintenance dollars. Sen. Phillip Puckett, D-Russell County, is sponsoring a bill (Senate Bill 411) to increase the state gasoline tax from 17.5 cents per gallon to 20 cents. Even a one-cent increase would produce about $50 million annually, said Puckett, who sits on the Senate Transportation Committee.
SB 411 – keep an eye on it.
I would also note two other things.
(1) The transportation funding gap that everyone is discussing (at most, $290 million) is less than two-fifths of one percent of the state budget. Are we supposed to believe a spending reduction of under 0.4% is impossible?).
(2) Phil Puckett was one of the folks Brandon Bell believed could be be “turned” into a GOP-supporting Independent. Does Bell still feels that way? If so, it would an excellent reminder of the wisdom the voters of the 22nd District showed in replacing him with Ralph Smith.
January 23, 2008 at 11:53 am |
[...] for the plans of Governor Kaine and othersto raise taxes (which the geniuses as the Timestried to airbursh out of existence): “Nine [...]