Aug 8, 2007 8:41 am US/Central
Reality Check: Gas Tax Increase
by Pat Kessler
(WCCO)
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Not once, but twice, Gov. Tim Pawlenty proudly vetoed gas tax hikes from the legislature, instead advocating a smaller borrowing program, delaying or cancelling road projects.
In the wake of the bridge disaster, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he's now willing to reconsider his long-standing opposition to a gasoline tax hike.
Politicians have been arguing about road funding for nearly 20 years.
The state of Minnesota pays for roads and bridges mostly through the gas tax, which politicians have promised not to raise, even in the face of a broken-down transportation infrastructure.
"When I stand here on the record and fervently tell you weekly I'm going to veto a bill with a gas tax directly in it," said Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2005, "I mean, how dumb can they be?"
It's TRUE. Not once, but twice, Pawlenty proudly vetoed gas tax hikes from the legislature, instead advocating a smaller borrowing program, delaying or cancelling road projects.
He wasn't the only governor or legislature to do it.
"We pay too much," said Gov. Jesse Ventura in 1999, "That's where I stand on it. And when I say 'we' that means all of us."
IN FACT, there wasn't a gas tax hike under Ventura either. He cut license tab fees -- a $300 million hole in the transportation budget that was never filled.
For 8 years, Gov. Arne Carlson also didn't hike the gas tax.
Here's is what you NEED TO KNOW. Minnesota's gas tax is 20 cents a gallon. Each penny raises $32 million to pay for roads and bridges.
That
ranks about in the middle, at 22nd in the nation. That's
lower than Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota.
There's MORE. The 20 cent gas tax hasn't gone up since 1988. Adjusted for inflation, that 20 cents a gallon would be about 34 cents a gallon right now.
And that's NOT THE WHOLE STORY. Opposition to the gas tax hike has evaporated in the wake of the bridge collapse.
Lawmakers are planning a special transportation session and a possible 5 cent to 15 cent gas tax hike.
That's Reality Check.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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