02.19.13

Years late and billions short

Posted in Around The State, Taxes, The Lege, Transportation at 10:23 am by wcnews

Better late then never I guess. What state Sen. Kevin Eltife said yesterday many of us have been saying for years. Welcome aboard Senator, GOP state senator from East Texas promotes gas tax increase to fund transportation.

A Republican state senator is arguing forcefully for raising taxes to fund transportation, saying it would be more conservative to pay as you go with increased tax revenue than to go further into debt to complete road projects.

And Sen. Kevin Eltife of Tyler went a step further Monday during a panel discussion at the Texas Transportation Forum in Austin, adding that he’s not concerned about how such a stand might impact his re-election chances in typically anti-tax East Texas.

“It is what it is,” he said, earning loud applause from the crowd. “I was fine before I got this job. If they kick me out of office, I’ll be fine.”

Eltife’s unusual tactic – by Texas standards, at least – came as he discussed the state’s transportation funding challenges with three other state lawmakers: House Transportation Chairman Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman; Sen. Chuy Hinojosa, D-McAllen; and Rep. Larry Gonzales, R-Round Rock.

[...]

But Eltife, chairman of the Senate Administration Committee, blazed his own path by declaring that it would’ve been more conservative to raise taxes 10 years ago than to go billions of dollars into debt. He added that the state is in a transportation crisis because “we have maxed out the credit card.”

“There are times when taxes are the conservative thing to do,” he said.

Eltife said he would add a dime to the state’s 20-cents-a-gallon gas tax — which hasn’t been raised since 1991 — and then index it to inflation. He said he would also look to dedicate sales tax revenue on auto repairs to the highway fund.

When moderator Rodger Jones, a Dallas Morning News editorial writer, joked that tea party voters would likely remember that idea, Eltife didn’t blink. He said he’s explained the transportation funding problem to some of his tea party constituents and that they said they would rather have taxes than even more debt.

Again, it’s great that Sen. Eltife is saying this, but his sudden outspokenness likely has more to do with business groups in Texas finally getting tired of the neglect. That has made it safe for some members of the Texas GOP to say nice things about taxes. That’s what’s driving this recent change of heart more than anything.

The neglect is really starting to show. Whether it’s education, health care, water or transportation it’s really starting to build up. And the it’s not just working and middle class Texans that are noticing. It may be hurting business owners and corporations, the true constituents of The Lege. And if that’s the case taxes may be raised, but not on businesses and corporations, that’s for sure.

The reality is it has no chance of happening with our current governor and the partisan make up of The Lege.

Further Reading:
From Texas Weekly we find out that the man that at one time was a Deputy Campaign Manager for Michelle Bachman’s presidential campaign is now trying to get the gas tax and user fees raised in Texas to pay for roads. Road Warriors Want Better PR.

“Water” and “roads” were the big buzzwords leading up to this legislative session. State leaders from Gov. Rick Perry on down went on record touting the importance of finding funding for water infrastructure and highway projects.

One month in to the session, water is right on track. There is widespread agreement on tapping the Rainy Day Fund to create a revolving fund to implement the state’s water plan.

Meanwhile, transportation advocates are worried that road funding reform remains as stalled as ever. So much so that Texas Future, a transportation-focused group that launched late last year, began airing a TV ad in Austin this week.

Here’s the link to Texas Future.  A constitutional amendment to raise taxes and fees, again probably not likely in this state right now.

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