Could President Donald Trump really be considering a gas tax increase for infrastructure improvements?
According to a McClatchy report, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said that a plan for new gas taxes is on the table. This news item did not receive much attention because it wasn’t about the already concluded Mueller investigation or a continuation of an Obama policy on immigration that could be spun to imply that everyone is either Russian or racist.
But what about Alabama’s Republican legislators who supported a gas tax increase? What if President Donald Trump, a super popular president in the conservative state of Alabama, decides to follow Alabama’s lead works with Democrats and business interests to increase the cost of every gallon of gas by 25 cents?
Political stories posted to Twitter or Facebook are regularly met with the same reaction of some variation of, “Yeah, but they passed a gas tax.”
Prison? Abortion? 2020 Senate talk? All of those lead back to tax increases for roads.
Alabama legislators who supported a gas tax increase are going to be happy to hear that they have an ally in the president of the United States who apparently agrees with their decision to raise that tax.
The current federal gas tax is 18.4 cents a gallon with a 24.4 cents a gallon tax for diesel. If a Republican Senate and Republican president more than double that they will forever lose their ability to say they are the party of lower taxes and less spending.
The usual suspects, like the Chamber of Commerce, are onboard with the idea. Even some Democrats could support the idea, which would make it one of the few Trump administration initiatives that they could get behind.
Conservatives might be wary of any idea the Chamber and Democrats are both pushing (see: immigration).
Much like the Alabama push for the tax increase, the American Road & Transportation Builders Association released a report finding almost 50,000 “structurally deficient” bridges.
Will America react like Alabamians did and promise to throw those responsible out of office or will they react like the French have and stage massive protests?
Will Alabama’s politicians who supported a gas tax in Alabama oppose one nationally even though the reasoning is exactly the same? Will they be happy to have the president pushing a similar agenda?
Will Alabamians and their elected officials be able to say “no” to President Trump, or will he be able to get conservatives to support things that seemed unthinkable years ago, as he has done with trade policy?
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN
