http://finance.yahoo.com/news/senators-p...7--finance.html

Makes you really want to run out and pull the R lever this fall. These money grubbing bastards are shameless....

Zitat

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Two senators unveiled a bipartisan plan Wednesday to raise federal gasoline and diesel taxes for the first time in more than two decades, pitching the proposal as a solution to Congress' struggle to pay for highway and transit programs.

The plan offered by Sens. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Bob Corker, R-Tenn., would raise the 18.4 cents-a-gallon federal gas tax and 24.4 cents-a-gallon diesel tax each by 12 cents over the next two years, and then index the taxes to keep pace with inflation. The increase would be applied in two increments of 6 cents each.

The plan also calls for offsetting the tax increases with other tax cuts. Senators said that could be done by permanently extending six of 50 federal tax breaks that expired this year, but they indicated they would be open to other suggestions for offsets.

The plan was immediately embraced by industry and transportation advocacy groups seeking a long-term means to keep the federal Highway Trust Fund solvent. However, it would require a lot of heavy lifting from Congress in the politically charged atmosphere of an election year to pass such a plan before late August, when the trust fund is forecast to go broke.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has indicated he's looking for means to shore up the fund for about the next six months while working on a long-term plan. That would move debate on a gas tax increase or some other revenue-raising scheme until after the midterm elections in November.

Revenue from gas taxes and other transportation user fees that for decades hasn't kept pace with promised federal transportation aid promised to states. People are driving less per capita and cars are more fuel efficient, keeping revenues fairly flat. At the same time, the cost of construction has increased, and the nation's infrastructure is aging, creating greater demand for new and rebuilt roads and bridges.


The last time federal gas and diesel taxes were increased was in 1993 as part of plan to reduce the federal budget deficit. Republicans castigated Democrats for the tax increase, and it was a factor in the GOP takeover of the House and Senate the following year.

Since then, lawmakers have been reluctant to raise fuel taxes despite calls from several blue-ribbon commissions to do so.

"For too long, Congress has shied away from taking serious action to update our country's aging infrastructure," Murphy said in a statement. "We're currently facing a transportation crisis that will only get worse if we don't take bold action to fund the Highway Trust Fund."

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I didn't see anywhere in Boobs proposal to raise money by cutting all of the hand outs for hybrids, golf carts and other BS that is being drained from the money used to fix roads and bridges. I'm sure it is just an oversight by this genius.