Gas Tax Tussle: State Reps Prep for Floor Fight
Former House Speaker cries foul over supposed missing revenue spreadsheet. Bill sponsor: 'I wasn't hiding anything.'
Rep. Bill O'Brien, the former House Speaker, fired off emails Feb. 25 charging the sponsor of a bill to raise the gas tax of withholding documents from fellow legislators, namely the Republican caucus.
O'Brien (R-Mont Vernon) emailed Rep. David Campbell (D-Nashua) to challenge the bill sponsor's remarks that "every penny" of revenue raised from the gas tax increase would be dedicated to roads and bridges. O'Brien pointed to a spreadsheet he claims only certain committeemen and Democratic leaders were previously privy to. The document shows revenue going to other accounts, including general fund and "$1,251,000 to Fish & Game and $593,000 for DRED/Trails," according to O'Brien.
"This is such an unexpected (and, heretofore, undisclosed) multi-million dollar windfall (taken, of course, from the wallets of our constituents, who are already paying 50 cents more a gallon for gas since the election), that you went on to advise the Democratic leaders who received your email that they 'don't spend it all in one place,'" O'Brien emailed to Campbell.
Campbell, chairman of the House Public Works and Highways Committee, soon emailed the spreadsheet to O'Brien and offered an explanation. (Patch received copies of both lawmakers' emails.)
The projected funds to those accounts not specifically regarding roads and bridges are bound by current state law regarding the gas tax for boats, snowmobiles and off-highway recreational vehicles, he said. The law governs how unrefunded road toll revenue is distributed, Campbell said. People who buy gas for non-highway purposes may submit receipts to the state Department of Safety/Road Toll Bureau and get "a refund for the tax on the corresponding gallons of gasoline purchased."
"It's a user fee," Campbell said in a phone interview Monday night. "I wasn't hiding anything."
So what is the proposal to raise the state's gasoline tax? It would, according to the bill and Campbell:
- increase the gas tax by 4 cents per gallon in each of the next three years, and 3 cents in the fourth year, for a total of 15 cents by fiscal year 2017.
- raise just under $1 billion over 10 years.
- mean $200 million more in municipal aid for towns and cities to fix their roads and bridges.
Here is the bill as introduced. The House is scheduled to vote on it Wednesday. The version before the House includes an amendment, which would strip away language calling for any increase in the vehicle registration fee.
Dot Knightly
7:40 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Democrats are clearly NOT looking out for the people of NH. Raising the gas tax is NOT the way to go. Mr. Campbell, a Lawyer, part of the good ole boy's network can afford higher gas prices. No worries for him. Many NH residents are struggling now to put gas in their car's, never mind adding more fuel to the fire. And what sense does it make to raise gas taxes to fix road's when roads keep being repaved whether they need it or not? And how many worker's does it take to fill one pothole in NH? One, while six other's look on. Isn't that a complete waste of tax payer dollars?. Mr. Campbell can afford to pay more, but NH resident's can't!
Keith F Thompson
1:47 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Your premise is wrong. Average families are already paying more. Failing to repair roads and bridges is already costing NH families over $300 per year per vehicle in higher repair costs.
The state has downshifted costs to the towns. That is already impacting hard working NH families.
This doesn't even include costs like lost time due to poor road conditions and the impact on businesses.
Keith Carlsen
1:27 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Keith, making up random numbers like $300 don't do anything to help your cause. Nice try though. Taxing the poor to help the rich is what this tax increase does. Can you live with that?
News Flash
7:43 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Gas Tax Not all for Highways
"Campbell wrote, it will generate $1.25 million annually for the Fish and Game Department, $658,000 annually for the general fund and $593,000 annually for the Department of Resources and Economic Development's Bureau of Trails."
Campbell is democrat who sponsred bill
"Under Campbell's bill, the gas tax would increase by 15 cents over four years -- 4 cents-a-year in each of the next three years and 3 cents in the fourth year."
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130225/NEWS0602/130229396
Anybody hear about democrats using Gas Tax Money for non Highway Expenditures?
Keith F Thompson
1:50 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Represntative Campbell's explaination is in the article above.
Those revenues from the gas tax that are not from road vehicles (boats, skimobiles, etc...) can legally go to these other departments.
Nice try on perpetuating the lies of Bill O'Brien and the Union Leader.
Selectman Stacie Laughton
10:31 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
This is not the time to be raising taxes. Raising the minimum wage is a great way to give people more take home pay, I think is a great idea. To add a tax on gun sales to pay for mental health care is fine because it will not stop someone from owning a gun and to own a gun is a right and it will not stop gun owners from owning a gun. But this is a flat raise in tax and with gas prices going up and down all the time this is not the time to raise taxes. Not when the economy is still hurting and trying to get better. More tax is not the answer and with the country going into federal cuts Friday, I am afraid of what will happen to the economy at that moment. Please stop the new gas tax.
Al Dorman
10:39 am on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Well said, get that minimum wage up for the NH labor market, please.
steve forte
6:19 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Now thats funny. The felon who cannot buy a gun wants a tax on gun sales.
News Flash
2:01 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Raining taxes in this economy is stupid. Classic democRAT stupidity.
Scott-NH
4:31 pm on Tuesday, February 26, 2013
If you want a higher minimum wage in this state, it's your democratic party that'll help you fight for that. Republicans will tell you it will hurt the local economy if employers have to invest in higher wages for you. You can't complain you want higher wages, then complain you don't want to pay for the highway because the people who want you to have a better wage also want you to help pay for the decaying road you drive to work on!
The highway is way past its prime and it's a danger to us all left the way it is, people just need to suck it up and pay for it. We haven't raised the gas tax in this state in over 20 years and even if it is raised, we still have the lowest gas tax in New England. I'm not a fan of seeing my tax dollars wasted, but this state is trying really hard to give us the highway we need at a cost that doesn't end up looking like the Big Dig catastrophe!
Keith Carlsen
1:19 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Increasing gas taxes by almost 100% increases the price of every single good and service in NH. It hurts the poor the most. Even bus rides will cost more. I am pretty sure everyone knows this is a bad idea.
Atlant Schmidt
7:15 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Keith:
No, everyone does not "know this is a bad idea".
Many of us think that allowing all those red-tagged bridges to continue to degrade (to the point of mechanical failure and possibly even collapse) is "a bad idea". And we're even willing to pay for these repairs.
News Flash
7:17 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Only democRATS think it is a good idea.
News Flash
5:21 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
Gas Tax Not all for Highways
"Campbell wrote, it will generate $1.25 million annually for the Fish and Game Department, $658,000 annually for the general fund and $593,000 annually for the Department of Resources and Economic Development's Bureau of Trails."
Campbell is democrat who sponsred bill
"Under Campbell's bill, the gas tax would increase by 15 cents over four years -- 4 cents-a-year in each of the next three years and 3 cents in the fourth year."
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20130225/NEWS0602/130229396
Anybody hear about democrats using Gas Tax Money for non Highway Expenditures?
Why do democrats pull cheap stunts like this?
Are more cheap stunts that hurt the poor in the future by democrats?
Can you blame anyone for calling them democRATS?
Atlant Schmidt
7:18 am on Thursday, February 28, 2013
News:
> Anybody hear about democrats using Gas Tax Money for non Highway Expenditures?
So when a person buying gas to fill their ATV, snowmobile, motocross bike, or powerboat* pays a gas tax and that money goes to fund trails or fish and game, that's wrong?
*Yes, I know gas bought at dockside may be treated differently, but that's not how casual boaters buy their gasoline.
JPF36
11:10 am on Monday, March 4, 2013
According to some news that was just released, the tax paid by off road users is refundable. So if the word gets out and the people start demanding the refunds then how can you still fully fund the money sent to Fish and Game, DRED and the General Fund?
Also why was $250 million taken out of the toll booth account and sent to the General fund? The toll money is supposed to be used to pay for road and bridge repairs. NOT as a way to fund the State for any way they see fit.
JPF36
11:16 am on Monday, March 4, 2013
her's another way to make more money for roads and bridges. Why not move the toll booths to the Mass border?? I live in Concord and have worked in Bedford for the past 17 years and I have to pay a toll. But people that live in Manchester and work in Mass pay nothing to use the Interstate. How is this Fair?
Why not maximize the profits for the tolls and get all the people that use the highway system to pay their fair share. Even the people from Mass that come over to buy our cheaper tobacco and alcohol. Or does this make too much sense ?