Leaving aside the obvious "Trump wants to increase taxes!" troll job, which is too easy...
I think it's a good idea.
We already have a trillion dollar deficit for the coming year, and if we want to add an additional trillion dollars for infrastructure, an increase in the gas tax is a good way to fund it. Because for one thing, I don't think an infrastructure plan would get through congress if is just adds to the deficit. Secondly, it's a dedicated source of funding, which is directly related to what it's paying for.
I think so too, if the dedication to funding infrastructure holds, we continue to increase Domestic energy production, and it has a sunset date. It's the closest we can get to a usage-based tax structure and that makes sense.
The gas tax hasn’t been raised in 25 years. I haven’t heard any official numbers about the amount it would be raised, but I see nothing wrong with it. I don’t mind paying selective taxes for a focused improvement. Let’s not be like the denizens of Jacksonville who want gold star government services AND some of the lowest municipal tax rates in the country. It doesn’t work that way. The U.S. infrastructure needs repairs and upgrade. Just make sure this gas tax doesn’t end up as more wasteful vote-buying funds for greasy politicians.
I don't like it. Will hurt the poor disproportionately. If you want a usage tax, just force states to charge a new $10 dollar fee at renewal for everyone. Otherwise you are pretty much targeting the poor with a gas tax, as the wealthy disproportionately own more EV's and diesels. You don't even get the truckers who are doing most of the road damage with a gas tax.
No! Gas is high enough already. No more raising taxes unless it's for vice items. Legalize weed and tax the crap out of it. That would fund infrastructure.
(02-15-2018, 06:32 PM)HandsomeRob86 Wrote: [ -> ]I don't like it. Will hurt the poor disproportionately and raise the floor on many basic items cost. If you want a usage tax, just force states to charge a new $10 dollar fee at renewal for everyone. Otherwise you are pretty much targeting the poor with a gas tax, as the wealthy disproportionately own more EV's and diesels. You don't even get the truckers who are doing most of the road damage with a gas tax.
Exactly!
(02-15-2018, 06:32 PM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote: [ -> ]No! Gas is high enough already. No more raising taxes unless it's for vice items. Legalize weed and tax the crap out of it. That would fund infrastructure.
(02-15-2018, 06:32 PM)HandsomeRob86 Wrote: [ -> ]I don't like it. Will hurt the poor disproportionately and raise the floor on many basic items cost. If you want a usage tax, just force states to charge a new $10 dollar fee at renewal for everyone. Otherwise you are pretty much targeting the poor with a gas tax, as the wealthy disproportionately own more EV's and diesels. You don't even get the truckers who are doing most of the road damage with a gas tax.
Exactly!
Yup. We don't agree on much but we certainly do here.
Nope revenue isn't the problem privatize more roads if you want better infrastructure. Government isn't the solution doesn't matter if it's Trump or Obama giving more money to the state to waste won't fix anything.
(02-15-2018, 06:32 PM)HandsomeRob86 Wrote: [ -> ]I don't like it. Will hurt the poor disproportionately. If you want a usage tax, just force states to charge a new $10 dollar fee at renewal for everyone. Otherwise you are pretty much targeting the poor with a gas tax, as the wealthy disproportionately own more EV's and diesels. You don't even get the truckers who are doing most of the road damage with a gas tax.
Taking the last sentence first, I'd expect that "gas tax" in this context means "petrol tax" or "fuel tax" and diesel taxes would also be raised. EVs are insignificant right now, but could be a problem in the future if they reach say 10% of all vehicles. Maybe the answer is to just add what the average non-EV driver spends yearly in gas taxes to the price of the licence renewal.
As far as the principal of the petrol tax, I see it as ideal. It is as close to a user fee as anything the federal government does, and it's a very efficient means of collecting user fees for highway construction and maintenance. Heavier vehicles use more fuel and cause more wear and tear, so that balances out too. I'm 100% in favor of petrol taxes to be used to build and maintain roads and bridges. The tax level should be set to cover 100% of highway needs.
But not 150%, or 75%.
I haven't seen any data for how much fuel tax is collected vs. how much is spent on roads and bridges. If the taxes are insufficient, then they should be raised. If the fuel taxes right now are more than what's needed but they are being diverted to other spending, then the answer is not to raise taxes, but to stop diverting money.
Republicans go nuts when Democrats raise taxes, but when it's proposed by a Republican president, it's o.k.? I don't think so. I'm against all tax hikes, except vice taxes (i.e. alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, etc.)
We do not, I repeat, DO NOT have a revenue problem in this country. What we do have is a spending problem.
Hey, if this is the first step towards the elimination of income tax and installation of a nationwide consumption and usage tax system instead, I'm all for it.
I do love how the small increase in my paycheck from the income tax cut will be pwned by this, though.
(02-15-2018, 11:33 PM)copycat Wrote: [ -> ]We do not, I repeat, DO NOT have a revenue problem in this country. What we do have is a spending problem.
Thanks to the $1.5 trillion tax cut your president passed for himself and his buddies you now have both.
(02-16-2018, 04:02 AM)DragonFury Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2018, 11:33 PM)copycat Wrote: [ -> ]We do not, I repeat, DO NOT have a revenue problem in this country. What we do have is a spending problem.
Thanks to the $1.5 trillion tax cut your president passed for himself and his buddies you now have both.
The government giveth the government taketh. But yeah any tax hike kind of voids all the good news on other tax cuts. Then add the trillions of spending and sure does feel like a Democrat had control of then purse.
Never thought of Trump as a fiscal conservative but damn he likes spending money.
I would ask those of you who are against this gas tax increase, the following questions:
1) Are you in favor of Trump's proposed trillion dollar infrastructure plan?
2) How would you pay for such a proposal?
(02-16-2018, 07:10 AM)The Real Marty Wrote: [ -> ]I would ask those of you who are against this gas tax increase, the following questions:
1) Are you in favor of Trump's proposed trillion dollar infrastructure plan?
2) How would you pay for such a proposal?
1. It would be nice if you could find a way of paying for it
without raising taxes on the poor.
2. Legalize weed nation wide and tax the crap out of it.
3. Cut excessive and unneeded spending by the military.
(02-16-2018, 07:10 AM)The Real Marty Wrote: [ -> ]I would ask those of you who are against this gas tax increase, the following questions:
1) Are you in favor of Trump's proposed trillion dollar infrastructure plan? No
2) How would you pay for such a proposal? Enforce 15 USC Chp 1. Pull the plug on the healthcare mafia. Short term pain long term greatness
(02-15-2018, 10:29 PM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote: [ -> ]Republicans go nuts when Democrats raise taxes, but when it's proposed by a Republican president, it's o.k.? I don't think so. I'm against all tax hikes, except vice taxes (i.e. alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, etc.)
I'm a republican, and I'm NOT ok with this.
I hate the idea with the passion of a thousand suns however the idea that it would offset the income tax reduction is a little bit of a misnomer the average family would spend an extra $250 annually based on average consumption of roughly about a thousand gallons
RV and big rig owners along with homeless living in their cars would probably take the biggest hit unless I'm overlooking someone.
(02-16-2018, 04:02 AM)DragonFury Wrote: [ -> ] (02-15-2018, 11:33 PM)copycat Wrote: [ -> ]We do not, I repeat, DO NOT have a revenue problem in this country. What we do have is a spending problem.
Thanks to the $1.5 trillion tax cut your president passed for himself and his buddies you now have both.
Trumps "buddies" are rich people in New York, who would be the ones getting a tax increase. The lower middle class benefits from the tax cut, both directly and indirectly as the corporate tax cut will help the job market and eventually increase salaries because of supply and demand.
But keep spreading the leftist lies.