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Conservatively Speaking
State Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) represents parts of four counties: Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, and Walworth. Her Senate District 28 includes New Berlin, Franklin, Greendale, Hales Corners, Muskego, Waterford, Big Bend, the town of Vernon and parts of Greenfield, East Troy, and Mukwonago. Senator Lazich has been in the Legislature for more than a decade. She considers herself a tireless crusader for lower taxes, reduced spending and smaller government.
The worst time to raise gas taxes
By Mary Lazich
Thursday, Apr 17 2008, 12:39 PM
Gasoline prices in Wisconsin are as high as they have ever been.
The state record of $3.43 per gallon was set May 26 and matched this week, according to AAA Wisconsin. The average price of unleaded gas is up more than 13 cents from a month ago and nearly 55 cents from a year ago.
Locally, the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel reports, “the Milwaukee figure was roughly 12 cents higher (than the national price), $3.51, according to the AAA motor club. The previous high for the Milwaukee area was $3.49, set on May 24, 2007.”
I think we can agree that now is the worst time to raise gas taxes. But that is exactly what the Governor Doyle’s administration is suggesting.
Two weeks ago, on April 2, Wisconsin Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi testified before a House panel in Washington D.C. that the federal gas tax, now 18 cents, should be raised to 40 cents to pay for improvements to the nation's infrastructure.
Busalacchi testified, “Raising taxes is never an easy decision. For the good of the country, we have to make this investment,” according to the Green Bay Press Gazette.
That means if the governor’s Transportation Secretary had his way, motorists in Milwaukee would currently be paying $3.91 per gallon.
Just before the latest upsurge in gas prices, the Green Bay Press Gazette editorialized on April 15:
“Busalacchi is a member of the Natural Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission, which recently submitted its final report. Among its findings is a gap of 71 cents to 88 cents per gallon between ‘currently sustainable’ federal highway costs and the amount of dollars the tax is expected to bring in through 2020. In other words, more than doubling the federal gasoline tax is just the start.
This is the same Frank Busalacchi who has worked with Gov. Jim Doyle to shift state transportation funds about three-quarters of a billion dollars in the last two budgets. First there was a $500 million raid on the gas tax revenues to boost the education fund, saddling DOT with the equivalent in debt service. Now Doyle is proposing $190 million in additional borrowing so that the cash from the gasoline tax can help balance the budget.
Which is it? Is the transportation fund so low that the gasoline tax needs to be doubled on a nationwide basis, as Busalacchi preached in Washington, or is the fund so flush that it can be used as a slush fund for any state purpose every couple of years, as Busalacchi has practiced in Madison?”
Compare Busalacchi’s idea to John McCain’s consumer-friendly proposal to suspend federal gas taxes between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
While gas prices continue to rise and Busalacchi preaches they should go up even higher, more and more motorists are filling up their tanks and then taking off without paying. The Door County Advocate reports station owners are seeing more drive-off’s, but usually catch the violators, thanks to camera systems that focus in on license plates.
Most, if not all of you reading this blog would never drive away without paying for your gas, and that is very smart.
Wisconsin statute 943.21 (1m) (d) reads, “Whoever does any of the following may be penalized… Having obtained gasoline or diesel fuel from a service station, garage, or other place where gasoline or diesel fuel is sold at retail or offered for sale at retail, intentionally absconds without paying for the gasoline or diesel fuel…..”
Drive off without paying and you are subject to a Class D forfeiture.
A Class D forfeiture may result in a fine up to $200. That amounts to 56.98 gallons of gas.
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