Saturday, January 03, 2009
PAY AS YOU DRIVE
The report of a national commission studying the condition and needs of America’s highway and bridge system was released this week. The findings were fairly simple. America’s roads and bridges are in a poorly maintained condition, and a 50% increase in the highway fuel tax is needed to pay for necessary improvements.
Oh, what a howl we have heard from the tax-dodgers -- excuse me, the big spender/ tax-cutter crowd. When there is so obvious a need, and such a direct relationship of a user tax with its expenditure, why is it that the conservative crowd does not want to pay the piper?
The no-tax position makes no sense, except politically. It is a terribly sorry state of affairs when most Americans are so ignorant of practical governance needs and problems that they will vote against politicians who enact taxes, however worthy and needed.
Three years ago, Oklahoma voted down miserly increases of a few cents in fuel taxes to bring them up almost to the level of surrounding states. Neal McCaleb, a former highway director under Henry Bellmon and a republican, led an organized movement involving Enid’s own former senator to bring our taxes up to pay for more matching money for improvements to our deteriorating roads and bridges.
We have become so dead set against taxes that it matters not who brings them forward or for what reason. Just this past week, in discussing the national proposal, McCaleb said, “It’s dead on arrival.” When asked why, he said, “Because any politician who votes for a tax increase will be voted out of office.”
How sad! We have lots of politicians of all stripes, but few statesmen willing to stand up and do what is right.
While supporting both state and federal fuel tax increases, this writer thinks that another look should be given to putting a tariff of perhaps $10 or $20 a barrel on imported oil. This idea was first broached nationally by republican Senator Don Nickles, who asked unsuccessfully for a $5 tariff.
While this might make a slight increase gasoline prices, it would be a boon to the oil related economy of our state and the country. It would also hasten the development of alternative fuels and more efficient cars, which has slowed lately with lower gas prices.
Some Oklahoma sources keep talking about augmenting highway funds by taking the auto license money away from schools or the state general fund. This is an obvious “rob Peter to pay Paul” idea, putting interests in one class of state services over the welfare of another.
Those who have done their own federal taxes for a while will remember deduction of the auto license fee is based upon its history as an “in lieu” tax. That is, the auto license fee is “in lieu” of property taxes on the vehicle. Most property taxes go to schools, so the auto license tax went to the schools because of its nature and historical definition.
So there is a history and a logic to this tax dedication, although most people (and legislators) have forgotten this or have never studied the background. Our ill-advised enactment of term limits has led to terrible gaps in the institutional memory of the legislature, as well as the deteriorated quality and experience of its leadership.
Our disdain for taxes to pay for state services is making us a debtor state. It is also making us a backward state. Our national disdain for paying taxes has led to our being a debtor nation. It may soon lead us from second to third class status in quality of services to our people.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
Oh, what a howl we have heard from the tax-dodgers -- excuse me, the big spender/ tax-cutter crowd. When there is so obvious a need, and such a direct relationship of a user tax with its expenditure, why is it that the conservative crowd does not want to pay the piper?
The no-tax position makes no sense, except politically. It is a terribly sorry state of affairs when most Americans are so ignorant of practical governance needs and problems that they will vote against politicians who enact taxes, however worthy and needed.
Three years ago, Oklahoma voted down miserly increases of a few cents in fuel taxes to bring them up almost to the level of surrounding states. Neal McCaleb, a former highway director under Henry Bellmon and a republican, led an organized movement involving Enid’s own former senator to bring our taxes up to pay for more matching money for improvements to our deteriorating roads and bridges.
We have become so dead set against taxes that it matters not who brings them forward or for what reason. Just this past week, in discussing the national proposal, McCaleb said, “It’s dead on arrival.” When asked why, he said, “Because any politician who votes for a tax increase will be voted out of office.”
How sad! We have lots of politicians of all stripes, but few statesmen willing to stand up and do what is right.
While supporting both state and federal fuel tax increases, this writer thinks that another look should be given to putting a tariff of perhaps $10 or $20 a barrel on imported oil. This idea was first broached nationally by republican Senator Don Nickles, who asked unsuccessfully for a $5 tariff.
While this might make a slight increase gasoline prices, it would be a boon to the oil related economy of our state and the country. It would also hasten the development of alternative fuels and more efficient cars, which has slowed lately with lower gas prices.
Some Oklahoma sources keep talking about augmenting highway funds by taking the auto license money away from schools or the state general fund. This is an obvious “rob Peter to pay Paul” idea, putting interests in one class of state services over the welfare of another.
Those who have done their own federal taxes for a while will remember deduction of the auto license fee is based upon its history as an “in lieu” tax. That is, the auto license fee is “in lieu” of property taxes on the vehicle. Most property taxes go to schools, so the auto license tax went to the schools because of its nature and historical definition.
So there is a history and a logic to this tax dedication, although most people (and legislators) have forgotten this or have never studied the background. Our ill-advised enactment of term limits has led to terrible gaps in the institutional memory of the legislature, as well as the deteriorated quality and experience of its leadership.
Our disdain for taxes to pay for state services is making us a debtor state. It is also making us a backward state. Our national disdain for paying taxes has led to our being a debtor nation. It may soon lead us from second to third class status in quality of services to our people.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
