I'm a New Yorker who is unfortunate enough to live in the district of our State Senate Majority Leader, Senator Joseph Bruno (R). Today I received a mailer, paid for with tax dollars (Yay for franking privileges, not!), from him promising an "up to 65 cents per gallon" reduction in Gasoline Taxes from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Never mind that the State portion of our gas tax is 32 cents. This is just shameful pandering at it's worst -- from a guy in a totally safe seat.
Here's the full text of his mailer:
Cover:
Senator Bruno is Fighting to Suspend the Gas Tax
Inside:
Senator Bruno's Summertime Gas Tax Relief Plan:
+ Suspend the State Gas Tax from Memorial Day until Labor Day
+ Encourage federal and local governments to suspend their share of the Gas Tax
Rising gas prices are taking more money from your family budget.
Suspending the State local and federal shares of the gas tax will provide real savings -- up to 65 cents per gallon -- and lower the cost of driving to school, work, family vacations, and the cost of delivering food and other goods to market.
New York State does have some high Gas Taxes. There's no doubt about that. But, there are several key issues the Senator fails to take into account:
First, these tax dollars get used at all levels of government for road construction and maintenance. We've got thousands of bridges out there like the one that collapsed in Minneapolis. If we take away the tax revenue used for repairs and construction, what do we say to the hundreds of thousands who will lose their jobs doing road construction or to the people who will lose their lives in the next collapse?
Second, there is absolutely no proof that a reduction in the tax rate will make it to the consumer. Some counties in New York State have tried removing their gas tax, at the expense of millions in tax revenue, and didn't see the price at the pump move at all. In fact, the price kept up with similar counties that didn't remove their tax. Any cut in gas taxes will likely just increase oil company profits.
Third, we're starting so see mass transit here get an increase in ridership for the first time in a long time. The Senator fails to consider the beneficial effects of higher gas prices. They encourage greater use of mass transit, and they help to spur innovation in alternative sources of energy -- something New York's "Tech Valley", his district, directly benefits from.
If the Senator truly wanted to help out consumers, the thing to do would be to send tax rebate checks to registered vehicle owners. That would ensure that the consumer gets every cent the state is giving up.