Virginian-Pilot brilliance: Stop using gas and raise gas taxes
By Brian Kirwin | Tuesday, June 1st, 2010 | PolicyThis is why I love liberals. This is why I especially love self-identified intellectual liberals who opine on their pages often-contradictory values.
But every once in a while, they’re truly dumb and write contradictory things in the same editorial. On to the Virginian-Pilot!
These geniuses think that (A) we should stop using fossil fuels and (B) we should raise taxes on fossil fuels and rely on them more than ever.
Ah, yeah.
Point A
“Americans must decide whether our love affair with dirty fossil fuels is so ingrained that we are willing to endanger our economy and our most precious natural resources.”
Got it. Dirty fossil fuels endangers the economy and nature. Got it.
So, what does the Pilot think makes sense to generate money for new highways? Fossil fuels!
“McDonnell made a mistake in rejecting a gas tax increase as a gubernatorial candidate.”
So, in the Pilot’s world, we should increase our reliance on revenue generated by something they think we shouldn’t be using anymore. Not the most brilliant way to finance 30-year bonds, is it?
Never again shall I question why newspapers are in economic trouble.
See, normal people understand that when you rely on revenue from something for decades of financing, you generally shouldn’t take the position that we should stop that something from generating the revenue you advocate relying on.
But, then again, it is the Virginian-Pilot.
If the Pilot had written “We advocated raising the sales tax for transportation in 2002, and the sales tax was raised for transportation in 1986. We should ween ourselves from relying on gas taxes as a source of revenue and perhaps look to emphasizing sales taxes for roads,” at least it would’ve been a cogent argument. I would’ve still opposed it, but it would’ve at least made sense.
Supporting more fuel taxes while attacking fuel sounds totally at odds to me.
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About the author
The right wants to jeer him. The left wants to censor him. Moderates usually want both. Brian Kirwin is a political consultant and public relations strategist in Virginia Beach with a lightning-rod flair. Brian also serves on the VB Arts & Humanities Commission and frequently appears on Hampton Roads theatrical stages, if only to prove that all actors aren’t liberals. Kirwin’s columns stir up debate and hit the political scene with no punches pulled.
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Comments
18 Responses to "Virginian-Pilot brilliance: Stop using gas and raise gas taxes"
Of course, tacticians like Brian do not need to solve issues of governance; they just need to win elections with catchy slogans. No Car Tax is the classic example. Fact is, Brian has been in the forefront of the republican strategy to deny the need for additional revenue for transportation, while at the same time, acknowledging that this failure is one of the greatest problems facing the Commonwealth. The Governor is made to look the fool due to the intrasigence of the majority in the House. That was fine when the Governor was of the opposite party, but now they make Governor McDonnell look incompetent. Fact is, it is not just the gas tax, but given the inattention from the House during the lost decade, it is now the gas tax, the sales tax on transportation products and services, tolls, titling and registration fees, et al. That is the price of failure to Legislate in a responsible manner.
Hey, Mike. Why not blame the voters who defeated candidates who proposed what you propose?
Yes, well candidates do reap what they sow. Your party has so effectively convinced your supporters of all the reasons we don’t need to address this problem, that they are now the victims of their own success. Now that they are in charge again, the cycle is set to repeat itself. That’s why the Governor is made to look the fool; he has to cancel a PPV because there is no state money, so he reannounces it as a new PPV, thereby borrowing more time. His 26 point plan is in tatters, but hey, it got him elected. Nice job, Brian, keep up the great work.
Thanks, Mike. Got a little misty at your kudos…
Brian,
We need to raise additional revenue. We need to decrease our dependence on foreign crude oil. Raising the fuel tax would accomplish both. You tax want you want less of (I am in favor of decreased use of crude oil for transportation so we are not so dependent on crude oil from foreign sources).
Perhaps we can motivate more citizens to buy hybrids instead of Hummers so they pay less in taxes? The roads have got to be paid for and the costs of the crude oil does too. Kill two birds with one stone. Pay for the roads and motivate fuel conservation so we stop sending all that money to those who finance people who want to kill us.
David, it’s irresponsible to go into debt on a revenue stream that you’re actively trying to kill.
Seems I remember that when gasoline was selling a premium prices, the Commonwealth was complaining that gas tax revenue was down because of reduced sales. So now someone says everyone drive a hybrid and raise the gas tax. Hello. Won’t that reduce revenue? Supply and demand; macro economics 101.
Oh, by the way LittleDavid, I was unaware Canada and Mexico were out to kill us.
Canada to date remains the largest exporter of total petroleum, exporting 2.517 million barrels per day to the United States. The second largest exporter was Mexico with 1.265 million barrels per day.
Brian,
If we’re to have the revenue stream to cover a robust mass transit system in Virginia Beach (and the region), how would you raise the operating funds if not with a Gas Tax?
That’s why I had to applaud Mike’s Virginia Beach Vision last year when they got a local transportation gas tax into the draft Community Legislative Package. While I believe we could declare the TOD zones Special Service Districts (SSDs) to cover the local portion of the light rail construction debt, I’m stuck on a Gas Tax until someone suggests a better way to pay for the local portion of the Operations & Maintenance subsidy.
Brian,
You agreed to the tobacco tax increases didn’t you? I apologize if you didn’t but there sure seems like the majority of citizens did not have a problem with it.
Wally Erb,
Nope, Mexico and Canada do not want to kill us. But both of these nations are quite happy and content that the United States’ thirst for crude oil helps keep them on the positive side of the trade balance.
I think the legislature should hand taxation power down to Hampton Roads and let them sort it out.
Oh wait…
David, anyone that wants to finance debt on a tobacco tax is equally stupid.
Henry, until you pay a gas tax, I don’t really care that you support one for me.
Ooooooooo ….. Henry, isn’t subsidy a bad word around here? Not very conservative of you.
Look, I know this forum is really about running for office, not the boring stuff about governing, but the shallowness that occurs on these pages because of this approach is the one of the reasons our transportation system is literally crumbling before our eyes. Of course, our Delegates could have cared less when that was an embarrassment to Governors Warner and Kaine, but now the policy of obfuscation and denial is emascalating Governor Bob McDonnell, one of your own. How long will these dinosaurs in the House let their own political longevity interfere with doing what is best for Virgina? How much longer will Bearing Drift, which has lofty goals, let quips and compaign tactics take center stage instead of developing consensus on what we need our leaders to do in this Commonwealth?
Mike, are you “running for office”?
Why did Goldman Sachs sell 44% of its investment in BP on March 31st, 2010, 20 days before the deepwater oil rig explosion took place in the Gulf of Mexico? Lucky move? Click on my name for the official data from March 31st.
This is why I love Conservatives. This is why I especially love self-identified un-intellectual conservatives who cry and complain on their pages and don`t offer up any solution to the problems.
Brian Kirwin says:
June 1, 2010 at 6:16 pm
David, it’s irresponsible to go into debt on a revenue stream that you’re actively trying to kill.
But continuing on the path of fossil fuel use IS responsible? If we place an increased tax on the fuel that IS the responsible thing to do, it would promote the reduction in use of fossil fuels and promote alternative sources, while paying down debt. It also encourages R&D for alternate fuels and incentives for new and better sources (by the way these also create new jobs that create new tax revenue!) But repeating our failing policies over and over, with the idea that we will get new outcomes IS irresponsible. Did you learn anything from this disaster in the Gulf, or are you one of those who just hides their head in the sand and demands MORE drilling offshore? Gee, that’s REALLY responsible thinking eh?
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