Mark Warner Opposes Higher Gas Tax
As part of the General Assembly's ongoing special session, Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee will try Wednesday to push through proposals to increase Virginia's 17.5 cent a gallon gas tax to raise money for transportation.
Majority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) wants a 6 cent a gallon increase, which will be phased in over six years. Sen. Charles J. Colgan (D-Prince William), chairman of the Finance Committee, wants the tax raised 1.6 cents per year for 10 years. Saslaw notes Virginia's gas tax is far below the national average of 28.5 cents a gallon. Republicans, along with Democrats in the House, argue its irresponsible to raise the gas tax because consumers are already being hit with record fuel prices.
Former Democratic governor Mark R. Warner, a candidate for U.S. Senate, appears to be siding with the GOP and House Democrats in this debate.
When asked last week whether he would support an increase in the federal gas tax, Warner said, "Obviously, I don't support raising the gas tax when its at $4 a gallon."
He added, "I don't think we ought to be raising the gas tax at this point." When asked if his position extended to Saslaw's bill at the state level, Warner responded, "I am not going to weigh in on that but I think that is a big hill to climb at this point."
By Tim Craig |
June 24, 2008; 6:45 PM ET
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Election 2008/President
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Election 2008/U.S. Senate
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Election 2009
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Mark Warner
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Tim Craig
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Virginia General Assembly 2008
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Posted by: Anonymous | June 25, 2008 8:43 PM
Perhaps when Warner is in the Senate he can make sure that Virginia gets its fair share of the Federal Transportation dollars that we have been paying as the Federal part of the gasoline and fuel taxes. I have not heard anybody state that Virginians are getting any of this money back. Maybe Bush is handing it over to the Oil Companies are part of their rebate/kickback? Or maybe it is going to the government contractors in Iraq?
Posted by: Bill | June 28, 2008 8:44 PM
It won't be a gas tax, it will be a "progressive carbon investment fee"
Hold on to your wallets. Either buy gold or turn your money into Euros and put it in your mattress. America is about to get F'd in the A.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 1, 2008 9:16 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Given Warner's history, that means he'll support the largest gas tax increase in history.
Thank you sir, may I have another?