Presidential candidate John McCain proposed, in a speech at Carnegie Mellon University this morning, that the federal government help to stimulate the economy by not collecting gasoline taxes from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon (24.4 cents per gallon of diesel). A good idea.
But beware. Considering the state's budget shortfall, and Jim Doyle's penchant for raising gas taxes, it would come as no surprise if Doyle or his friends in the Senate push to increase the state's gas tax by the amount of the savings. After all, the result would be a no net loss to Wisconsin consumers. It would, however, push Wisconsin from the 8th highest taxing state when it comes to gas taxes to the highest.
McCain's Senate colleagues should ensure that any such legislation offered in the Senate contains a provision that the gas tax moratorium would not apply in any state that raises its own gas tax in the year of the moratorium. McCain's proposal is intended as an economic stimulus, not a federal revenue sharing program.
1 comments:
We haven't had a good old-fashioned State Capitol takeover for years.
This one, however, would be with pitchforks and tar--not those nambypamby student jobbers with pens and maryjane pipes.
Go for it, Jimbo!
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