The Hammond Report

The Missoula City Government Council is considering slapping a two cent tax on gas to help pay for some much needed road work and repair.   With fuel prices at record levels and people struggling to make ends meet (thanks to the Democrat controlled congress and environmentalists), the local government has decided they need to increase taxes to make their ends meet.  Have they considered making some hard choices and cutting some expenses and programs?  My family certainly has.  I didn't consider going to my employer and asking for a raise because right now, I'm happy to have a job and a paycheck.  My employer had to make some difficult choices and cuts.  So did I. So should our local government.  Just don't take any more out of my pocket!

The reason there is less revenue from the current gas taxes is because people are driving less.  Isn't this what the progressives in the City Council want?  Less driving and more biking, walking, car pooling, and busing. Now with gas prices over $4 in Missoula, these things are happening.  The Left should be celebrating!  Instead, they are upset their tax revenues are down!  So they want to increase taxes on our gas.  And of course, they see it as a static event where behavior will remain the same with the increase.

Preliminary numbers suggest the tax would generate $2 million annually, which would go directly to local road projects.

The way Childers figures, if a driver used 10 gallons of gas a week, that's 500 gallons a year and an extra $10 in gas taxes.

What will really happen is if the price of gas remains above $4, and the tax is imposed, people will adjust their behavior further and drive even less, thus reducing tax revenue even more. This will encourage our local government to try to impose even more taxes on gas.

I have a few ideas for our City Government that will actually work but would never be considered.

1.  Cut expenses in the City Government.  Cut payroll & staff, reduce benefits, cut redundant programs, cut unnecessary fluff, etc.

2.  Lower taxes on fuel.  This will encourage more consumption which would increase tax revenue.

3.  Register and tax all bicycles in the city limits. Enforce and impose stiff penalties for violators.

4.  Ticket bicylcists for violating the «rules of the road».  Huge potential source of revenue initially until behavior changes due to the consequences.

I challenge the City Govenment to have the courage to do these things.  Be bold and creative.  Increasing taxes is lazy.

Don't waste you time, your gas tax increase will never pass in November.