Ask a Democrat about highway infrastructure. You get an eye-roll and maybe some chatter about out of date funding mechanisms. We need to raise that gas tax. Fix our crumbling roads and bridges. But almost nobody likes gas taxes, so what do you do?
Articles tagged as
Gas Tax
Which Democrat Will Try to Make an Illegal Regional Transportation Tax Legal In NH?
The Transportation and Climate Initiative is a “regional collaboration of 12 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states (to) reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector.” It claims New Hampshire as a partner, but that is currently against the law.
If Taxation is Theft, The NH Dept of Environmental Services Wants You to be Their Next Victim
With all the nonsense in the world, it’s easy to lose track of who is trying to screw you. Helpful hint: elected Democrats, about everything, always. We also have state agencies filled with Concord Swamp Rats looking to screw us over as well.
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 … Read more
May 11th GrokTALK! Segment One – Steve, Mike, and Greg Moore Arrives Early…
Mike and Steve start the segment with the IRS admitting that they targeted Conservative and TEA Party groups but once Greg Moore, the state director for AFP-NH arrives early, they move on to the proposed 67% Gas Tax increase and some under-reported (un-reported?) issues with the New Hampshire State budget. Listen Here Download this segment here … Read more
Carol Shea-RUNAWAY!
Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter continues to endear herself to her constituents by running away from questions she has not been taught how to answer. Today’s example comes from Citizens for a Strong New Hampshire…
(Manchester – April 2, 2013) Yesterday afternoon at a local senior center, Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) repeatedly avoided questions on two important issues that, if implemented, would severely impact Granite Staters.
New Hampshire’s “No Information” Voter
Grok Friend Spec Bowers just posted this on facebook. (Talk about a bridge too far.) A friend was talking with a neighbor about the gas tax. The neighbor said, “Yeah, that’s what you get when you vote Republican.” My friend told him the bill is being pushed by the Democrats. His neighbor replied, “No the … Read more
Where Todd I. Selig Admits to Some Heavy Lifting…But Not All.
Several of us writing here at GraniteGrok have taken to task Durham Town Administrator Todd I. Selig for both his position on the issue of raising the gas tax and how he went about showing his support for it. Literally. The letter he submitted to various publications around New Hampshire, explaining his support for the tax, included direct quotes from other sources–in some cases lifted in their entirety–without attribution.
In a recent comment to one of those posts Mr. Selig reiterates his position and admits the following.
In addition, I did quote heavily from TRIP in the paragraphs noted, in particular in the second to last paragraph without attribution. I view the TRIP overview of the deficiencies in NH roadways to be factual and accurate and fully consistent with my own understanding of the issue. The words used represent my perspective. I take full responsibility for them. Further, I did subsequently write to TRIP and the organization had no objection to the use of the material as utilized.
Subsequently?
Larry Major, Pike Industries Governmental Rent-Seeker, is at it again.
Well, I already put up a post where Pike paid rent-seeker Larry Major, with the title of “Government Relations”, (would that be an incestuous one?) was flogging the independent truckers that haul for Pike to go roust their NH State Reps and Senators to urge passage of HB617 which would enrich Pike Industries’s coffers but would most likely deflate their wallets, along with the rest of non-truckers, via a huge uplift in NH’s gas tax. At least there he made clear he was an employee. Now he’s got Letters to the Editor out doing the same thing – but without letting people know that his company directly benefits from it and flogging them to support it is part of his job (after all, money grubbing from government generally takes a PAID hack to be successful). My response that has been submitted to my local papers:
To the Editor,
Larry Major in his Letter submitted to you attempts to make the case that passage of HB617, that raises the gas tax ere in NH, is a thing of beauty. After all, we here in NH have supposedly let our roads go to ruin from neglect. Er, anyone else remember thinking “hey, didn’t they JUST repave Rt 106 by the track a couple of years ago when Obama’s Porkulus money did it again? So, Larry, was that stretch in “ruinous shape” then? As opposed to repairing truly needy roads? Was that such a good use of “free money from the Feds”?
But more importantly, Mr. Major simply signed his name to his Letter as “Larry Major, Loudon”. Just a concerned Citizen that has taken little notice that the Highway Fund, which should be solely for paying for road repair, has become a sieve of a leaky bucket. Instead of demanding that politicians do the right thing and stop thieving from it for other purposes, or that HB617 be SOLELY dedicated to the roads (it is not), he simply want more taken out of our pockets. After all, I believe Pike did the work on Route 106.
Er, that would be Mr. Major’s employer where his title is “Government Relations” (see http://granitegrok.com/blog/2013/03/troopers-are-not-the-only-rent-seekers-so-is-pike-industries where he implores Pike’s contract truckers to advocate for higher taxes on the rest of us to inflate Pike’s coffers.
Nicely done, Mr. Major, on being so “open” and “transparent”.
Kindest regards,
Skip Murphy
His Letter after the jump
Guest Post by C.dog e. dog – “a touch of Bidenitus by I. Toddius!”
From his email: Skip – Here’s a follow-up on poor ol’ Todd, born with a government degree in his mouth, and a touch of Bidenitus.
Plagiary, Thy Name is I. Toddius!
As originally hurled downfield by Scott from the 50 yard line, then caught and carried to the end zone by Steve, this football keeps scoring more points against Team Statist. I’m sure at this juncture the Liberatti are at this very moment circling their limousines to once again protect one of their own who has strayed into the land of e-lifting words others strung together and take credit as if these mighty prose (and by inference, thoughts) were their own. What’s the big deal? The Grate Senator from MA-MA Land had someone take his test. And the bumbling V.P. gaff machine down in D.C. just can’t keep himself from laddling out another heapin’ helpin’ of unattributed verbiage onto his plate marked: “Highest I.Q. in da House!” What does it matter? Aren’t we all supposed to share our stuff? So what if someone grinding the Big Government ax over at Trip Reports or New Hamster Municipal Association wrote the stuff first?
C’mon Steve! Aren’t they just one giant wriggling mass of community organizers, so what does it matter if it comes from the mouth of one worm or another? You’re sooooo picky. Besides, it’s entirely possible I. Toddius lifted his prescient prose from Daily Dirt (which is not related to the Daily KOS, but is related to Our Road Contractor’s Daily Bread – and lot’s of it – for construction company owners and the union bosses they feed) instead of Trip Reports.
But wait Steve and Scott, there’s more on our budding HI.Q. Joe Biden wannabee from Durham, New Hamster!
Todd I. Selig – Economic Ignoramus or Just Deceptive?
Porous condoms, bustiered moobed construction workers, medieval royal exclamations with a dash of Dorothy skipping rubies down the golden road all at the expense of some poor statist once-a-plebe trying to ply more cash from the pockets of his neighbors to meet his illusory expectation of what should be done and pretending to solve a problem? Yes, I’m referring to the guest post by C.dog. He hit some poignant points in his illuminating, entertaining, and informative post. I’d lavish more praise on the piece save for time because as any good piece I read does, it creates a mental itch that I need to scratch, so on with the nailed relief.
The audacity of C.dog’s subject, one lord Todd I. Selig, playing fast and loose with economics in hopes to bind the emerald curtain tightly taught so that no one is able to lift the drapes is invidious. It’s especially so when one thinks that people might buy this bureaucratic sinecure’s incongruous tripe and agree with the deplorable gas tax increase. However, the curtains are diaphanous and gauzy so one can easily see the image of his scarecrowed chicanery when backlit.
Let’s flame the candles and take a look at a few of the wobbly pillars that support his feeble argument.
In his blog post, he risibly purports to answer the question as to why the cost of gas is cheaper in Maine than in NH, and in doing so demonstrates either his callow understanding of economics or betrays his perfidy by implying that we must follow Maine’s lead. But he’s just clutching at straw men.
Guest Post by C.dog e.doG – “Gas Tax Lisping Fantasticos Just Give Me Gas”
C.dog e.dog is our most prolific commenters here on the ‘Grok who I first “met” over at TreeHugger (the Greenie Statist Enviro site that I go over to poke a stick into once in a while) – and he followed me “home”. Located somewhere in this Live Free or Die State that we adore, he’s stayed around and brought his unique wordsmithing styling to the “Grok (to which we say “Thank you”):
Gas Tax Lisping Fantasticos Just Give Me Gas
After reading the latest download from New Hamster’s Democratic Machine to boost the “revenues” of the Grate State on the backs of those who reside and drive within its jurisdictional domain, once again I became flushed with questions. But lo and behold, where I first read this boiler-plate proclamation at NH Insider – written by the esteemed Over-Lord who manages the town of Durham with mad skill – there was no place to inquire of the mighty bureaucrat. Evidently, Todd I. Selig considered his propaganda so invincible – so flawless – that he turned the comment feature off. (“By order of the Royal Pompous Asses (clear throat) To all naives: There shall be no questioning of duly processed authority figures. Pay the Man, take your seats, and shut up.”) Now there’s a loud, a proud, and unquestionably, a correct-thinkin’ apparatchik. I-Toddius reigns supreme!
First, order of business, Todd’s contribution to the “conversation” is really just recycled points from the Campbell playbook. Reading over the pol megaphone snewspaper reports, which is repeated elsewhere and often by others on The Team, I-Toddius provides nothing new but more prattling – likely to score brownie points and get invites to swanky Liberatti festivities.
But I dither and linger. On to the substance!
“This additional revenue would be placed in a separate fund within the constitutionally protected highway fund to be used exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of state and municipal roads and bridges – investment that will equate to good jobs across New Hampshire, particularly within the construction, engineering, paving, and aggregate industries.” “The increase would also fund an additional $8.5 million per year for municipal bridge and highway aid programs, fully fund the I-93 widening project …”
Hey Todd-o –
Did some of those HB617 Republicans not like that Flashlight that shined brightly? Good – Mission Accomplished
OK, I know this is a couple of days old, but still worth posting as an object lesson. We here at the ‘Grok raised a fuss and a big ‘ole stinkeroonie as we figuratively shined our flashlight into a dark corner – the kind of one where taxpayers end up paying for the mistakes that Government makes, either in actuality or in priority (e.g., not doing what it should be). We berated those Republicans that voted to raise the gas tax (that Pike Industries loves so much) that would hurt ordinary working folks.
Well, our motto is to “Spank’em when they’re wrong and Thank’em when they’re right”; we did the former and now time for the latter:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19th, 2013
Contact: 603-271-3665
House Republican Leaders Comment on Gas Tax Increase Bill
CONCORD – Today House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett) and House Republican Policy Leader Laurie Sanborn (R-Bedford) offered the following statements on the committee vote on HB617, a bill that would raise the gas tax. The House Ways and Means committee voted 11-7 to recommend the bill ought to pass with amendment. The committee amendment would raise the gas tax by 67%. Republicans on the committee were unanimous in their opposition to the bill.
By Whichever Ways And Means Make It Possible
From Ed Naile at NH Insider…
The Republican War on Women campaign was a secret code phrase for: women get to pay more for gas – especially those single moms who like big government.
For you single mom’s out there (Ed’s title was ‘Single Mom’s Love the Gas Tax’), or any women at all, or even women who were not born women but feel like a woman, after getting slapped across the face with the Obama middle class tax increase at the beginning of the year, papa gubmint now wants to chew on a little more of your weekly revenue here in New Hampshire, with an 83% hike in the gas tax.
Welcome to the 83%…
Don’t worry. You can probably exchange your gas receipts for some free birth control and a download of all the Obama’s Speeches.
Steve? Here’s the Republican names that voted for the HB617 Gas Tax:
Yeah Steve, the figure I’ve seen is up to $1 Billion in new taxes embedded in HB617 over the next few years – and YOU get to help pay for them each and every time you put the gas nozzle into tank for a fill-up (that is, if you can afford the 83% rise in the State tax). IMHO, simply because the Politicians can’t keep their cotton picking hands outta the proverbial cookie jar called the Highway Fund. They complain that there are roads and bridges that NEED REPAIR NOW – yet most of them were red listed when the Democrats held the supermajorities in the NH House and Senate, and holding the Governorship.
You asked, I provide – the list of Republicans that helped the Democrats in the House making life more expensive for Joe and Jane SixPack:
Frank Tilton Mark McConkey John Graham Shawn Jasper Dave Danielson Charlene Takesian Dave Kidder
David Hess Priscilla Lockwood Bill Friel About Khan Dave Milz Kevin Waterhouse John Sytek
Jim Grenier
Yeah. Two of Gene Chandler’s Leadership team (bolded) – way to go Team! Consistency of action. Discipline of message. What do you say about a Leadership Team that can’t vote straight? Good news coming from this session for taxpayers, I’ll say.
How About A “Little” Tax Increase Scarecrow?
The motion to suspend rules and introduce an amendment that would require funds raised for highways and bridges to be spent on Highways and bridges failed, with 51 Republicans voting with the Democrats against the motion. The following vote to raise New Hampshire’s gas tax 83% which includes funding things other than roads and bridges, passed 207-163, … Read more
Gas Tax, Gas Tax, Gas Tax! Bill O’Brien Has An Amendment for HB 617
Former House Speaker Bill O’Brien has submitted a proposed amendment to HB 617 the New Hampshire Democrats massive gas tax hike. It would require all taxes raised to go to the Highway Department for roads and bridges. (From Facebook)
This morning I sent the following email to all other state representatives. I would like to share it with you.
If you agree, please contact your local state representative and ask him to vote on Wednesday for the O’Brien Amendment to HB 617, which will avoid an 83% gas tax increase, the largest tax increase in NH state history.
Here’s the email and the amendment is attached to this posting:
Republican Ed Gionet Jumps Ship on NH Democrats Massive Gas Tax Hike
Grafton County District 5 Republican Ed Gionet, who voted for the Democrats massive gas tax increase in committee –when he thought it was for roads and bridges–has announced that he will not vote for the bill when it hits the house floor. Why? Read it for yourself. PRESS RELEASE – REP. EDMUND GIONET ANNOUNCES HE INTENDS TO … Read more
Republican Sponsor of NH’s Massive Gas Tax Increase No Longer Supports the Bill
One of HB617’s original sponsors, a bill that would raise New Hampshire’s gas tax more than 80% once fully implemented, has had a come to Jesus moment with regard to Democrats and taxes. I can only hope our humble influence here at GraniteGrok, the fact that he is one of my state reps, and the emails pointing out the unpleasant historical … Read more
Open Letter to Republican Members of the New Hampshire House
Emailed to the entire caucus, Wednesday Morning, 2-27-2013
Honorable Republican Representatives,
In the wake of the errant email in which NH Gas tax sponsor David Campbell (D-Nashua) reveals the true nature of his proposal, I wanted to take a moment to offer up some relevant observations.
Mr. Campbell remarked that his gas tax will provide a bounty (I’m paraphrasing) of revenue (taxation) for other purposes. It matters not whether he was being glib or just honest. The facts are these.