TO RAISE THE GAS TAX OR NOT

THE BITCH Whitman kept her word and lowered income taxes 30%, primarily benefiting the wealthy. As we’ve seen; for the average Atlantic County resident the saving was less than $100 and for the wealthy, in THE BITCH’s tax bracket the saving was $32,000. Property taxes at least for the average Mullica resident went up $660 just this year and these same folks continued to support the republicans...go figure...or maybe Mullica residents just can't figure. As John Maynard Keynes said: THE AVOIDANCE OF TAXES IS THE ONLY PURSUIT THAT CARRIES ANY REWARD…and the republicans have certainly rewarded the rich at the expense of middle class.

In 1998 the economic chickens began to come home and THE BITCH responsibly proposed raising gasoline taxes by 5 cents. The State was starting to show a large debt in its Transportation Fund as a result of borrowing from it for other purposes to hide Republican fiscal mismangment. The debt was a result of her tax cuts for the wealthy and as one might suspect the cowardly Democrats seeing a political advantage opposed the gas tax increase saying it would fall too heavily on the middle class.

Now political irresponsibility is about to bite the Democrats back, as the Transportation Trust Fund which is financed by the extant gas tax; and before THE BITCH'S rob Peter to pay Paul tax policies was self replenishing; now however the Republican scam of a reliance on borrowing through bonds has so increased debt service that the fund is likely be broke by 2006. So now we have a crumbling infra structue and a panel of experts proposing for the Democrats in charge a 12.5-cent gas tax increase to fix it…and Republicans are likely to oppose and blame Democrats for attempting to raise taxes. Once again quoting Keynes: CAPITALISM IS THE EXTARODINARY BELIEF THAT THE NASTIEST OF MEN, FOR THE NASTIEST OF REASONS, WILL SOME HOW WORK FOR THE BENEFIT OF US ALL.

There really is no choice here for the State will loose millions in federal transportation money because it lacks the required matching dollars in the Transportation Fund and may not even be able to pay the massive interest and debt payments that are now coming due. Pay now or pay later...the Republi CON has been spend now and pay later...stated another way; cut taxes now and not expenses and let the someone else take reponsiblity for paying the bills...well, it has been effective politically in both Mullica and the County.

Democrats want some Republicans to vote for the gas tax increase so they can claim bipartisanship vis-à-vis this necessary tax increase. This by the way would be a dedicated tax, a user fee that will be solely used for state road, bridge and other forms of public transportation systems that are in disrepair. An increase that will ultimately benefit those who directly use the system and be paid by only by the users. Will Democrats find any Republicans to come on board during the lame duck session? Winston Churchill noted; THE PRICE OF GREATNESS IS RESPONSIBLIBITY. We will see.

Besides the Democrats will control the governor’s office and both houses come January and had they supported the gas tax increase under THE BITCH maybe the total responsibility would not fall so heavily on their shoulders. The price of cowardliness Anais Nin said: LIFE SHRINKS OR EXPANDS IN PROPORTION TO ONE’S COURAGE. But if truth were known politicians are not a brave lot. It is likely once again fiscal responsiblility...the necessity of raising taxes to pay the bills for Repbulican fiscal irresponsibility will fall on a Democratic governor and legislature...and more than likely many people will just not be able to connect the dots of fiscal irresponsibility...the successful Republi CON continues.