Elizabeth Warren Isn't A Fan Of Raising The Gas Tax To Pay For Infrastructure Needs

[left-of-center2012]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wants to raise all kinds of taxes to pay for a slate of progressive policy proposals, including universal health care, universal child care, a plan to provide affordable housing and an initiative that would give students loan relief.

But one tax the 2020 Democratic presidential contender isn’t so hot on raising is the federal gas tax, which hasn’t been lifted since 1993 from 18.4 cents per gallon.

Raising the gas tax to pay for investments to the country’s crumbling roads, bridges and waterways is an idea that has bipartisan support in Washington. That proposal is backed by both the Chamber of Commerce, which recommends hiking the tax by 25 cents over five years, and the labor organization AFL-CIO. The increase would generate an additional $375 billion over the next 10 years, according to the Chamber.

... Democrats in Congress note that the burden of paying for new infrastructure has increasingly fallen on states and localities. But anti-tax conservatives oppose raising the gas tax, arguing that it’s not needed and that it would hurt low-income families ― which is interestingly the same concern Warren expressed on Monday.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elizabeth-warren-infrastructure-gax-tax_n_5c90eb76e4b04ed2c1aecf6d

[Ohiogal]

1. THIS.

Tell that to Ohio Gov. DeWhine who wanted to raise our gas taxes 18 cents per gallon to pay for infrastructure!

Don't burden working people commuting to work for this! Make the ones who benefit from tax breaks and who benefit from great wealth pay their fair share!



I'm lovin' Liz more and more every day!

[crazytown]

2. A gas tax is deeply regressive

hitting the poor the hardest. Not everyone can afford a new fuel efficient car, a hybrid or a Tesla. A hike in fuel taxes brought the Yellow Vests out against Macron.

[CentralMass]

3. I agree with this. High gasoline prices are a burden for many who need to commute to work.

[NurseJackie]

4. It's regressive.

It hits those who can least afford it the hardest.

[Perrenial Voter]

5. I'd be fine with raising these taxes once consumers have been

provided decent public transportation. And that should be a high priority. People can only be blamed for choosing among the options available to them, not for options that they didn't have.

[Iggo]

6. Yep, raise the Rich Guy tax instead. (n/t)