A hot topic of discussion on Empower Texans lately has been the potential threat of rising state gasoline taxes. Clearly there have been revenue shortfalls due to the recession, but is this the only reason?
According to the executive director of the transportation department, Amadeo Saenz, the tax revenue is also falling because, “Texas drivers are not filling up their cars as often as they used to, and that hybrid cars are also reducing the amount of fuel taxes the state collects.”
Isn’t that interesting? For years we’ve been told by people like Nobel Prize winner President Obama and Nobel Prize winner Al Gore, that we need to drive less and buy more hybrid cars to cut greenhouse gas emissions and ‘save the environment.’ Well, according to a report by Environment Texas, we Texans have been doing just that. Their report shows that there has been a 2% drop in greenhouse gas emissions from 2004-2007.
Am I to understand that because we Texans have been doing our part and altering our lifestyles to ‘save the environment’ that we now have to pay more in gas taxes to make up for the lost gas tax revenue? As John Stossel would say, “give me a break.”
If our state government can’t alter their spending lifestyle to save the state’s fiscal environment then why should we continue to alter our driving lifestyles to save our living environment? I’ve had enough of it! It seems there is only one option we Texans have if we don’t want our gas taxes to go up:
Drive more and don’t buy a Hybrid.
