"Now what'll that a-hole think of next? Has anybody got a dime? Somebody's got to go back and get a s-load of dimes."
Posted on 11/25/2013 6:35:48 AM PST by Nextrush
Republican Governor Tom Corbett, who announced he's running for re-election next year, likes to tell Pennsylvanians he hasn't raised taxes. He ran for office four years ago saying he wouldn't raise taxes.
But that's exactly what he is doing today when he signs a "transportation funding bill" to fix roads and bridges along with subsidizing public transportation systems (especially in the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh areas).
The bill replaces an out in the open 12 cent a gallon gas tax at the pump with a backroom tax on gas at its wholesale price. It also raises registration fees for vehicles in the state with commercial vehicle registration being steeply affected.
The take for the state of PA should eventually reach over 2 billion dollars per year from taxpayers pockets.
The effect of it will be to raise the price of gasoline in Pennsylvania by 28 cents a gallon in the next five years.
The bill is being described as the second largest tax increase in Pennsylvania history.
This legislation made it through the state legislature controlled by Republicans when leadership of both parties convinced many long serving members to vote for the plan.
It was closer in Pennsylvania's state's House with an early vote opposing the tax hike, but in the end the first vote was reversed and the proposal went to a governor eager to sign it.
Talk is that legislators were promised that some of the money raised would end up being spent on "projects" in their districts.
The legislation creates a special 40 million dollar fund that the state's transportation secretary will spend after "consultation" with legislative leaders.
When the bill passed the legislature, it was hailed by Republican Governor Tom Corbett as "bipartisan" and supported by both "business and labor".
And why not, businesses will benefit and labor unions will benefit at taxpayer expense and some of the money they get will no doubt be "kicked back" to the politicians in campaign contributions.
This is Pennsylvania's business as usual political system in action and a thorough housecleaning is needed.
If this is what Republicans and Democrats end up giving us in this state, perhaps it seriously is third party time?????
The laws of the state are rigged against third parties, but we still have the write-in option in our voting machines, Mr. Corbett.....
Are you new?
The taxes will shoot up and your roads will remain in the exact same condition.
That state of affairs has existed in pa as long as I have been alive.
Fortunately, I escaped Pennsylvanistan.
Penn needs to do what Texas is doing. Build more toll roads.
They sort of tried that when they, in their usual screwed up fashion, tried to put a toll on Interstate 80 from border to border... The “logic” being that having a “free” interstate going east to west was competition for the turnpike that cuts across the southern part of the state.... The plan went so smashingly well that the turnpike users are paying twice as much as they were before the attempt to toll the interstate.
Why worry about Democrats when we have Republicans like this RINO?
Not to mention if you think this state’s government is corrupt, wait unitl ya get a look at the Turnpike Commission.
Pennsylvania is already in the top 10 states with the highest overall tax burden. This will move it up a couple notches, tying or edging out Taxachusetts.
Higher taxes, or higher taxes, which to choose? Well one side claims to be kinder and gentler though right?
I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with fixing roads? In a state where snow is on the ground five months a year, I suspect there are some real problems. If a tax on fuel is used to pay for roads then what is wrong...it is user pays taxing? Seems pretty conservative or libertarian to me.
"Now what'll that a-hole think of next? Has anybody got a dime? Somebody's got to go back and get a s-load of dimes."
I think Corbett let the secret out of the bag when he pointed out that “business” and “labor” support the law.
The additional money taken out of our pockets will fill the business and labor pockets who in turn will line the pockets of the politicians at election time.
Wouldn’t it be nice if the truth were that it is just about fixing roads and bridges.
When politicians do this, it never really is....
SPENDING AND TAXES BY GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS MUST BE HELD STEADY AT THE VERY LEAST AND NOT INCREASED IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM.
THIS IS A MOVE TO INCREASE SPENDING AND TAXES PERIOD.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.