Monday, December 05, 2005
Roadbuilders or Taxpayers?
Gard, the Assembly speaker, has said his colleagues are moving too quickly to kill gas indexing without finding a way to ensure there is enough money to cover the state's road projects.
Journal Sentinel, 12/5/5
It seems that real people, plus talk radio, have caused quite the stir at the state capitol this week. RINO Commissar Dale Schultz has even agreed to hold a vote on repeal of the state's automatic annual gas tax increase. Keep in mind, of course, that the Legislature can continue to increase transportation funding each year at whatever level they deem appropriate, repeal would simply force legislators to vote on the increases. Repeal critics are less than honest when they suggest that spending increases would no longer occur.
Remember, the politicians adopted the current method of stealth gas increases during the long dark era of Democrat hegemony in the Legislature. This clever and dishonest strategy is similar to how many legislative bodies, including Congress, handle issues of legislative pay. The politicians can say it's beyond their control, and then happily reap the benefits of additional spending. Tommy Thompson or legislative Republicans could and should have reversed this policy long ago, but they made the quid-pro-quo decision to keep the roadbuilders as a ruling party best friend.
I heard John Gard trying to defend his position on the radio last week. His staff should probably not let him do that again, unless they help him come up with some additional coherence and rationale for his argument. John is a smart guy that's come a long way, but he really is losing his credibility with fiscal conservatives. It probably would have been better for his congressional campaign if he resigned as Speaker and focused on electioneering. Peshtigo roads over government accountability doesn't make a lot of sense to most people, John.
The roadbuilders have done a beautifully quiet job over the years of removing any legislative opposition to their spendy agenda. Every legislator has his or her own pet project that they want built, in order to forever tell their constituents how vital they are to their district's development. That reality has been supplemented by an extremely aggressive and comprehensive strategy of giving lots of roadbuilder money to nearly everyone in both parties. Each caucus has pledged their undying fealty, and the roadbuilders have been able to rule the state's transportation spending agenda in a manner that is the envy of all interest groups. Instead of picking a side like WEAC or WMC, the road moguls use their resources to make friends with everybody. Everybody but taxpayers, that is.
I have talked to legislators that are certain they can ride this thing out, protect the roadbuilders, and never be punished by their short-attention-span constituents. As Wisconsin legislators ponder their position on this issue, the equation will be rather simple. Should I be more worried about the anger of the roadbuilders or the taxpayers? Unfortunately for all of us, the roadbuilders have done a much better job than taxpayers organizing themselves and taking collective action in public affairs. It will take significant anger over Wisconsin gas taxes to change this basic dynamic.
Perhaps Republicans aren't the true friends of the taxpayer after all.
Journal Sentinel, 12/5/5
It seems that real people, plus talk radio, have caused quite the stir at the state capitol this week. RINO Commissar Dale Schultz has even agreed to hold a vote on repeal of the state's automatic annual gas tax increase. Keep in mind, of course, that the Legislature can continue to increase transportation funding each year at whatever level they deem appropriate, repeal would simply force legislators to vote on the increases. Repeal critics are less than honest when they suggest that spending increases would no longer occur.
Remember, the politicians adopted the current method of stealth gas increases during the long dark era of Democrat hegemony in the Legislature. This clever and dishonest strategy is similar to how many legislative bodies, including Congress, handle issues of legislative pay. The politicians can say it's beyond their control, and then happily reap the benefits of additional spending. Tommy Thompson or legislative Republicans could and should have reversed this policy long ago, but they made the quid-pro-quo decision to keep the roadbuilders as a ruling party best friend.
I heard John Gard trying to defend his position on the radio last week. His staff should probably not let him do that again, unless they help him come up with some additional coherence and rationale for his argument. John is a smart guy that's come a long way, but he really is losing his credibility with fiscal conservatives. It probably would have been better for his congressional campaign if he resigned as Speaker and focused on electioneering. Peshtigo roads over government accountability doesn't make a lot of sense to most people, John.
The roadbuilders have done a beautifully quiet job over the years of removing any legislative opposition to their spendy agenda. Every legislator has his or her own pet project that they want built, in order to forever tell their constituents how vital they are to their district's development. That reality has been supplemented by an extremely aggressive and comprehensive strategy of giving lots of roadbuilder money to nearly everyone in both parties. Each caucus has pledged their undying fealty, and the roadbuilders have been able to rule the state's transportation spending agenda in a manner that is the envy of all interest groups. Instead of picking a side like WEAC or WMC, the road moguls use their resources to make friends with everybody. Everybody but taxpayers, that is.
I have talked to legislators that are certain they can ride this thing out, protect the roadbuilders, and never be punished by their short-attention-span constituents. As Wisconsin legislators ponder their position on this issue, the equation will be rather simple. Should I be more worried about the anger of the roadbuilders or the taxpayers? Unfortunately for all of us, the roadbuilders have done a much better job than taxpayers organizing themselves and taking collective action in public affairs. It will take significant anger over Wisconsin gas taxes to change this basic dynamic.
Perhaps Republicans aren't the true friends of the taxpayer after all.
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Perhaps Republicans aren't the true friends of the taxpayer after all.
Duuuhhhhhh...ya think?
They have NEVER brought up income-tax reduction in the last two years, either.
Duuuhhhhhh...ya think?
They have NEVER brought up income-tax reduction in the last two years, either.
Ragnar - You said "repeal would simply force legislators to vote on the increases." It does something else, too. It forces DOT to plan and justify a budget for roadbuilding based on need, not on their forcast for future motor fuel tax revenues.
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