Demo-can? Republi-crat? Taxers!Submitted by TCollins on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 8:42am.
John Carona and Hank Gilbert hail from different political parties, but they have the same view on transportation: raise those taxes. They want more of our money. The liberal blog "Eye On Williamson" correctly notes that both Carona (a Republican state senator from Dallas) and Gilbert (a Democratic candidate for governor) want to hike gasoline taxes to pay for more... Well, what they say they want to pay for and what will actually get funded are two different things. (It should be noted that so far, the only candidate for governor to say no to the gas-tax hike is the incumbent, Rick Perry.) The great myth out there is that the gasoline tax isn't bringing in money to the state. Not true. While the gas tax RATE hasn't been hiked since the early 1990s, it is bringing in more and more revenue each year -- up to 6 percent more, year over year -- according to state record. The big problem is how the money is being misspent. First, 25% is sent to public education (a constitutional diversion implemented by the public some 40 years ago). Another 20 percent is diverted by the legislature into all sorts of nice-sounding things, like the Arts Commission, DPS and the AG. Meanwhile, that money gets flittered away by spending agencies like TxDOT and local spending entities. As TFR's Michael Sullivan and others have said repeatedly here and elsewhere, it's time for all transit and transportation entities to be transparent and auditable. It's time for them to show how our money is spent in real-time, and how each dollar is used to reduce congestion. No new spending should take place that doesn't actually go toward proveable congestion relief. That Carona and Gilbert simply want to hike taxes, and not address the diversions and misspending, says a lot about their governing philosophy. Some people complain there isn't enough bipartisanship. But with the bipartisanship of Carona and Gilbert, Texas' taxpayers will be driven into the ground. Bookmark/Search this post with: |
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Your article is factually incorrect
"That Carona and Gilbert simply want to hike taxes, and not address the diversions and misspending, says a lot about their governing philosophy."
Senator Carona authored SJR 9, SB 216, and other legislation to reduce or stop diversion of transportation revenue. Senator Carona has also carried a significant number of bills to address misspending and improve transparency at all levels of government. Details on legislation are available from this website: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/
There are other issues with your article, but your consideration of a retraction for the factual errors would be appreciated.
Steven Polunsky, Committee Director
Texas Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
Carona and Gilbert
You may be correct for some factual errors. I do not know. It is a fact though, that Carona is all about tax and spend. In times like these, we need a return to fiscal restraint and a zero policy for taxing anything. A legislator who is more prudent and disciplined is in order.
Texans are requiring it!
Better than Toll Roads
I have no relationship with Sen. Corona but I support his bravery in proposing to raise the gas tax. You are not telling the whole story. Allowing our national infrastructure to fall into such disrepair costs American businesses billions and reduces our ability to compete globally. It amounts to a hidden tax on every American business that wants to ship something from Point A to Point B. Perry's solution to allow private foreign companies to build tollroads across the state strikes me as being short-sighted and un-American. The need to raise this tax is self-evident. Our time would be better spent making sure the revenue is actually spent on the very infrastructure the tax is supposed to fund.
If there is a problem, raise
If there is a problem, raise taxes. Why, of course! Gotta' love it.
If only I could get a pay raise every time I went to my boss with a problem.
Sorry to proponents of ANY tax increase, but to heck with 'em all. Why is it that, after nearly 200 years in this state, we still have to raise taxes? I'll tell you why. Because politicians get bored, are easily distracted by lobbyists, and always need new causes.
We'd all be that much better off if we would realize that we should be as quick to serve up our private dollars to government as we are to bums on street corners. Each group invariably represents itself as "needy," but only one wears a suit.
It's time for a retreat from the way our government has grown, and the old partisan hackery just doesn't sell anymore.
Furthermore, I might take issue with the ranking system on fiscal responsibility here. I am against the refrigerators for small town ag businesses (or whomever), too. But come on. That is peanuts to the money we pay in taxes.
The bills on which to gauge performance should not be picked in terms of what "sounds" good to display. They should be selected on one - and only one - criteria. The fiscal impact. No picking favorites to spend money on and leaving the bill out of rankings if the people gauging performance happen to like the way that money is going to be spent. Put it all on the table - ALL of it.
Tres You are correct on one
Tres
You are correct on one thing. Transportation taxes should not be increased for any reason. If "diversions" are mandated constitutionally, then why is there no movement (that I have heard of) to reverse the amendment? We tax payers will not regain control over the "tax and spenders" of either party until we begin to say no with the ballot and inject some courage into the Socialist-Democrats and RINOS. We also should throw them all out in favor of real conservatives. Most importantly, Texas legislators and Texas voters must begin to THINK about what is good for Texas, and Texas alone. In case no one has noticed, the Socialist-Democrats have taken over the country with the help of the "whiners" who want everything free, i.e., at your expense. Perry is right that we should turn down all federal money and nullify federal mandates in all categories, not just transportation. But he does not have the guts to follow up. Doesn't it make any Texan angry that our Texas Legislature continues to respond to the bribes and arm-twistings of the feds? How about growing some brains and courage and work for TEXAS and TEXANS, not the whiners and not the boys and girls who want to keep their jobs in the Texas Legislarure and in the Congress and Senate despite the costs to you and me?
Where is it written anywhere that we must have more and bigger freeways? We don't.
You are right. I too am an
You are right. I too am an angry taxpayer. I'm tired of having my pocket picked by those who must at this point consider themselves our MASTERS also known as the pampered princes in the Old Testament, and colloquially known as "The Elite" instead of our servants. Let's clean house in Austin ASAP & show the rest of the country how it's cone! Amen brothers! Check out this website: www.goooh.com. Happy Thanksgiving!
All I can say is voters
All I can say is voters would do well to open their little eyes in the Republican primaries in March and get Debra Medina on-board as our next governor. I don't need to say anything about KBH, Kay "Bailout" Hutchinson speaks for herself. The sad thing is in reality Rick Perry is just as bad in his own way having sold out to elitist interests especially with his toll road fiasco. Give me a break, Perry wants to sell Texas sovereignty to foreign investors. He needs to GO!
If you don't think Perry is influenced by elitists ask yourself this question, just why in the world does the governor of Texas have an interest in attending Bilderberg conferences? Research Bilderberg ( and its cousin Council On Foreign Relations) and tell me you are proud our governor rubs elbows with that group. It is no wonder Perry is so fond of the Spanish owned company Cintra that Perry is willing to give the entire farm away with his toll road plunder.
DEBRA MEDINA for TEXAS GOVERNOR
Can voters even comprehend a politician that represents the voter and does not worship global elitists?