Based off of an original post on NPI's official blog
The Republicans are recovering from the initial barrage that they're being hit with from all sides on the Katrina mismanagement.
They're now coming out with cleverly disguised proposals like this:
Some state lawmakers [meaning Republicans] want to suspend Washington's gasoline tax for three months, to give drivers a break from prices near $3 a gallon.
State House Republican leader Richard DeBolt of Chehalis says Republicans are behind the idea. The $270 million loss to the Highway budget would be covered by dipping into reserves.
This is a stupid (but very clever) idea. Now is not the time to "dip into reserves". The gas tax pays for the transportation infrastructure that we all use. Rolling it back, even temporarily, is a stupid and dangerous idea that should not even be considered.
We're fighting a campaign right now to oppose a rollback of funding for the 2005 transportation package. And now Republicans want to roll back the entire tax, not just the increase.
More on the flip...
Temporary rollbacks are the first step to permanent rollbacks, and the excuse will be that "motorists need a break from prices".
The problem is that Washington State isn't responsible for high prices - oil companies are.
Why don't WA Republicans call for government investigations of price gouging by oil companies, as Senator Maria Cantwell (and others) did today? Because this is a perfect opportunity to roll back taxes.
It's a sneaky, clever plan. It makes government look responsible for the high prices and shifts blame for and from the oil companies.
Cantwell has the right idea:
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is convinced that the oil companies have artificially increased prices and wants President Bush to have the power to cap gas prices if necessary. She likens the conditions to those that caused the Enron fraud of the electricity market in 2000 and 2001.
[...]
Cantwell intends to introduce legislation on Thursday that would give Bush power to investigate price gouging and, if necessary, cap price increases. She discussed her proposal Tuesday at a Senate hearing on the hurricane's impact on rising energy prices.
And what about Senator Dorgan's proposal to get rid of industry windfalls?
In addition to Cantwell's bill, other remedies suggested at Tuesday's hearing include a proposal from Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., to force oil companies to rebate $80 billion in "windfall profits."
I know where they got this idea from, too (same article as above):
The governor of Georgia has ordered a monthlong moratorium on gas taxes, and similar proposals have been made in other states.
It is completely senseless to encourage drivers to buy more gasoline and allow oil companies to continue to profit while bleeding the financial reserves of the state of Washington.
What's going to happen when we have our own disaster here in Washington? Who's going to "give us a break" if the viaduct falls down or the floating bridge collapses? Or both happen, and worse? Then what "reserves" will Republicans propose we tap into?
The original article goes on to state:
Governor Gregoire didn't immediately dismiss the idea. Aides say she is discussing with lawmakers whether the 31 cent per gallon tax should be lowered until prices stabilize this fall.
The governor's office says no decision has been made about calling a special legislative session or suspending the tax by emergency executive order, and no tax-cut level has been agreed to.
No. The answer is no. The gas tax should not be lowered or changed. There should not be a "temporary rollback" and there should not be a "permanent rollback".
If we don't invest in transportation infrastructure, our regional economy will be destroyed regardless. The state cannot afford to lose any more revenue. Eyman tax cut initiatives have already hurt the state financially. The gas tax should not be touched. Additionally, Initiative 912 must be defeated.
Hurricane Katrina did not seriously destroy oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. The real problem is that America has lost one if its major ports, and refinery capacity is down. Why does it make sense to let oil companies continue to profit and have the state lose money at the same time? This proposal is entirely ridiculous!
Solutions, instead of having the government "cut taxes", include encouraging conservation of gasoline, asking more people to use mass transit options, and to carpool. That will also aid traffic congestion.
AND INVESTIGATE THE OIL COMPANIES!!!
Temporary rollbacks are a terrible idea. Make your voice known - especially you Washington Kossacks: Tell Governor Christine Gregoire: Absolutely NO temporary gas tax rollbacks!