BillLawrenceOnline

The below statement is by State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129)

The Pennsylvania  House this week approved a bill that will drive up costs for Pennsylvania drivers on everything from filling up their gasoline tanks to registering their cars and renewing their driver’s licenses. I voted against the bill.

House Bill 1060 will phase out the cap on a tax on oil companies, which they are not prevented from passing along to drivers through higher gasoline prices. I consider this to be a tax increase, while others may try to defend it as a “fee-based service.”

It also calls for increases in the cost for vehicle registrations and driver’s license renewals, both of which will continually increase in future years. The bill also includes numerous increases in fines associated with certain traffic violations.

Some of the new money collected through these changes will be sent to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to further subsidize their buses and trains. This portion of the bill is obviously not a “fee-based service” since the money to operate these mass transit systems will be provided by Pennsylvania drivers.

Some of my colleagues and I have continually argued for more fiscally conservative and responsible measures to address our Commonwealth’s transportation needs. For example, we could consider:

•    Legislation that would prioritize transportation spending decisions so that money is used for road and bridge repairs instead of ancillary projects.
•    Proposals to reform or replace the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission by rolling it into the existing Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which would reduce the number of inefficiencies that result from having multiple agencies.
•    Plans to identify alternative funding sources, such as the hundreds of millions of dollars currently used to pay for the Pennsylvania State Police that are taken out of a fund that was originally designated to pay for road and bridge repairs.

Many Pennsylvanians are still struggling with the negative financial consequences that have followed the housing market crash and resulting Great Recession. It is simply irresponsible to increase fees and raise taxes on our families and businesses to pay for the transportation wish list contained in House Bill 1060. While I realize the importance of maintaining our transportation infrastructure, there are commonsense approaches, which I fully support, that would more directly address these needs.

Repub Rep Rips Corbett Gas Tax

Well it is happening. After the GOP shot itself in the foot, yesterday, with the Pennsylvania House vote to push through a massive gasoline tax hike, the old media that had been screaming about the need to save our transportation infrastructure is now using words like “Hosed” in headlines while pointing out that Pennsylvanians are likely going to have the highest gas prices in the nation.

Pennsylvania’s House, Senate and governor’s office are all controlled by Republicans. While just about every Democrat was behind this cruel increase, their fingerprints are not on it. Once again Lucy has pulled the football from Charlie Brown.

The only upside is that the Tea Party “Republicans” — and we can leave that word in quotes as  party membership to us is a means to an end not a religion — are on record as being the only vocal opponents to this action.

The Independence Hall Tea Party Association — the first (only?) Tea Party group to endorse Mitt Romney; the group that has bent over backwards, usually wisely, to defend Republicans under fire from the grassroots — has announced it is withholding support from Gov. Corbett in his upcoming re-election.

“Governor Tom Corbett, obviously, twisted the arms of Republican State Representatives in order pass this disastrous piece of legislation,” said Association President Teri Adams.  “Instead of cutting funds from other areas of the budget to pay for needed bridge and road repairs around the state, the Governor and his minions decided to sock it to the taxpayers.”

Yes, Tom, you are hosed. I’m thinking about switching my registration this primary in the hope of getting at least a quasi-sane Democrat to replace you because you are going to be replaced. Of course, doing so means I lose my chance to primary my state rep so one must give it some thought.

Corbett Gas Tax Makes Media Lick Chops

The Pennsylvania consumer took a wicked shot to the gut yesterday, Nov. 19, when an amendment by State Rep. Nick Micozzie (R-163) caused the State House to switch directions and pass  a $2.3 billion transportation bill that will raise the state gas tax and other motor vehicle cost such as vehicle registration fees.

The bill uncaps the oil franchise tax will will raise the price at the pump 28 cents over five years albeit the Delaware County Daily Times is reporting that the Micozzie amendment ends the 12 cent retail pump tax that would ease the pain to a 16 cent hike.

Miccozie amendment also raises the limit for the prevailing wage mandate from $25,000 to $100,000, an almost trivial reform despite the ire of the union demonstrators picketing his in Clifton Heights and Upper Darby yesterday.  The new standard would have only affected 17 jobs in the state last year, mostly municipal projects in rural areas. The prevailing wage mandate adds about 20 percent to the cost of construction projects.  It should be noted that the $25,000 limit had not been changed since the law was passed in 1961. With inflation, $25,000 then would be about $180,000 today.

Thanks for little, Nick.

The plan calls for spending $1.65 billion on highways and bridges, $497 million on mass transit and $144 million on “multi-modal” transportation.

The entire Delaware County contingent voted for the bill — except for Steve Barrar (R-160). Thank you, Steve.

The bill, SB1,  now goes back to the Senate — which passed the original 45-5 on June 5 — to consider the House changes. After they approve it again, it will be signed by Gov. Corbett who has made this monstrosity his signature legislation.

Here’s a final thought if the spending was going to be primarily funded by a 28 cent gas tax hike and  Miccozie’s amendment cuts this by 12 cents by ending the retail pump tax as the Daily Times reported, where is the money going to come from to fund this project the scope of which does not seem to have changed?

Visit Rights-Right.com, for an exceprt.

Corbett Gas Tax Passes House