Democrats Propose a 27+% Gas Tax Increase - Granite Grok

Democrats Propose a 27+% Gas Tax Increase

Is a 27% increase enough?

You voted for them. Now we are going to have to live with them “helping” us in the legislature. Our very own New Hampshire Democrats are proposing that we increase the gas tax by 27+%. That will reduce your spendable income. How much it eats into your budget depends on the number of drivers in your household, how far you drive and the type of vehicles you own.

An interesting caveat to this proposed tax increase is that the tax is aimed directly at the working poor. Those who can afford it least are harmed the most. The people most likely to own older, less fuel efficient vehicles are the ones who will likely buy the most gas. They will spend the largest percentage of their income on fuel. They are also the least likely to have the option to work from home and the most likely to have to hold down two jobs to make ends meet. It is good to have friends in the legislature… isn’t it?

They cannot help themselves.

Remember you voted for ‘em and they can’t stop themselves. Yet again they are increasing this regressive tax on Granite State consumers. Remember back in 2014 when Governor Hassan increased the gasoline tax? She told us it would be a one time increase. The increase was temporary she said. The tax increase would sunset following the completion of I-93.

Well guess what? I-93 is done and the tax increase isn’t. It was a one time increase until we pass the next increase. Then the temporary became permanent. None of what Hassan said was true was true.

HB 538 makes the 2014 increase permanent. It also adds the new increase on top of the temporary increase. So we are making a 22% increase permanent then adding a 27% increase on top of it and doing it all in one bill, HB 538. A gasoline tax increases costs throughout the state. All goods and services have some component of transportation in their cost structure. If everything will cost more it will hurt economic activity throughout the state. It hurts the New Hampshire advantage.

Gas tax revenues are already exceeding expectations. The increased revenues have come about due to record economic growth delivered by tax cutting Republican leadership. The guideline in these situations is pretty easy: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We should not mess with our own economic success. Increasing this tax will not bring prosperity and it will harm the least able to pay.

Conclusion:

New Hampshire Democrats likely won’t be satisfied until our gas tax is the highest in New England and the New Hampshire Advantage is a distant memory. It’s time to contact the House Ways and Means Committee. Tell them to vote Inexpedient to legislate on HB 538. Contact your state reps and tell them to vote against raising your gas taxes. If you live in Belknap County their contact information is available at: http://www.belknapcounty.org/pages/BelknapCounty_Delegation/index?textPage=1

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