The Gas Tax is Back !

As if it wasn’t enough for the legislature in 2014 to decide to take steps to create a gas tax that would increase every year without the legislators even having to vote, but tax hungry Massachusetts bureaucrats are at it again.

Voters like you and me took to the ballot and voted YES on Question 1 in 2014 to repeal a law that provided for automatic annual gas tax hikes without a vote by legislators accountable to the people. The rally cry that energized voters was the same one that motivated colonial patriots to dump British tea in Boston Harbor, namely rejection of taxation without representation.
This time Massachusetts bureaucrats are are trying to accomplish the same thing. This time they have disguised the gas tax as the Climate and Transportation Initiative (TCI) that essentially equates to a Green New Deal at the state level and will cost us dearly at the gas pump.

Massachusetts is one of 12 states that joined the TCI which intends to penalize carbon by means of a tax that would apply to gasoline and diesel fuels. The TCI webpage claims that “it will produce health benefits by the increase in biking and walking associated” which apparently means the tax will be high enough to force people out of their cars – remember that when you have to bike 10 miles to work in freezing Winter weather! They also tell states that they “may choose to pursue complementary policies and programs to further enable greenhouse gas emissions reductions from transportation.” Who knows what additional burdens that will entail?

The Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides disingenuously claims that the TCI is not a tax by trying to pass it off as a regulation and as a result feels she does not need the approval of the legislature.The Massachusetts legislature could stop this travesty if it wanted to, but why should it since they will get to spend the massive new revenues without having to take an unpopular vote to raise taxes. Remember this is the the same gang that treats climate change as a new religion, voted for the automatic annual gas tax increase in 2014, and voted themselves 40% pay raises immediately after their 2016 elections. Their brazen audacity grows by the minute. With supermajorities in the House and Senate, they can do whatever they please, and in deep blue Massachusetts they expect to get re-elected time and time again. In many cases legislative seats are not even contested in Taxachusetts where we sadly have the fewest challenged legislative races in the nation.

Many of us worked tirelessly in 2014 to oppose the automatic annual gas tax increase, and the voters spoke loudly at the polls. The people need to speak loudly again so as not to be ignored and have a King George like personality at the state level who feels she can raise taxes without even obtaining a legislative vote.

This tax will make Massachusetts drivers pay astronomical prices at the pump just like California from where I just returned. California drivers are paying $4.39 for regular, $4.53 for premium, and $4.69 for diesel and are feeling the pain every time they fill up. This state level Green New Deal will be a major theft from all of us behind the wheel and also increase the price of goods and services so you will feel the burn at every turn not only at the gas pump. Speak out against this travesty now before it is imposed.

I can be reached by phone at (781)438-5720 or email @ Contactcarolineforinfo@gmail.com.
Caroline Colarusso is the Republican State Committeewoman for the 5th Middlesex District (Stoneham, Melrose, Malden, Winchester 1-2-3-8, Reading, and Wakefield)