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Thursday, January 31, 2013

McDonnell Plan To Axe Gas Tax, Hike Sales Tax Advances

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell's transportation funding plan sailed through an influential House committee Wednesday largely unscathed, paving the way for a House vote early next week.

McDonnell's plan, which would raise $3.1 billion over five years in part by eliminating the 17.5-cent tax on a gallon of gas and raising the sales tax from 5 percent to 5.8 percent, survived Democratic amendments and skepticism from Northern Virginia Republicans over whether the plan would generate enough new revenue to fix the jammed and crumbling roads around the Beltway.

House Finance Committee Chairman Harry Purkey, R-Virginia Beach, acknowledged that the plan has flaws but said advancing it would at least start the debate and negotiations that could reshape the legislation as it moves from the House to the Senate, where it faces greater resistance.

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5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems like a tax increase on the poor to me.

Think about it - the gas tax isn't directly paid by somebody who can't afford a car. Maybe if they hire a taxi they are indirectly paying it. But I doubt that public transportation is subject to a gas tax.

But poor people spend a huge amount of their income buying things that are subjected to a sales tax.

Anonymous said...

But poor people spend a huge amount of their income buying things that are subjected to a sales tax

Exactly why Repub's always favor a sales tax.

Anonymous said...

Can we please get a gov in MD with some balls, I would rather pay sales tax and get a huge break on the gas tax.

Anonymous said...

boohoo...poor people need to pay for the public services and roadways like everyone else.

Anonymous said...

This is a great idea after all in Obama's own words---
"Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules"
So what this does is make everyone including those who can't afford a car play by the same rules as those who can. If those who own a car have to pay for transportation related repairs then so should those who don't own a car. It's called playing by the same rules and Obama himself said EVERYONE must play by the same rules.