While House Democrats have been busily chubbing up the Calendar, the Texas Senate was preparing a sneak-attack on the taxpayers’ wallets. State Sen. John Carona (R-Dallas) has tacked his Senate Bill 855 — allowing the imposition of new gas taxes and fees — onto the TxDOT re-authorization bill, House Bill 300. The bill, including the new taxes and fees, passed the Senate Monday night.

While styled as a “demonstration” project, the only thing being demonstrated is more unaccountable spending.

There isn’t a single transparency or accountability measure in the Carona mix! For example, counties don’t even have to demonstrate a project being funded with new taxes reduces traffic congestion!

This is just the construction of a new avenue into taxpayers wallets.

Some of the provisions include:
> Local gas taxes of 2-cents, 4-cents, 6-cents, 8-cents, or 10-cents per gallon;
> A “mobility fee” of up to $60 vehicle registration; and
> Up to $48 in a new drivers license fee.

Carona’s tinkering also allows Metropolitan Planning Organizations to impose new taxes and fees.

Now it rests with the House to stop the tax hikes Carona stuck into HB300.

Each of us must sound the alarm today and make sure the House knows this effort is bad for families, bad for the economy and bad Texas.

Daniel Greer

Daniel Greer is the Director of Innovation for Texas Scorecard.

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