For future reference, I just thought I'd highlight the fact that Prince William Republicans - the Board of Supervisors is 6-2 Republican - voted yesterday to raise taxes. More specifically, they agreed, by a 7-1 vote, "to support a regional package of tax and fee increases that would raise more than $300 million a year for local transportation improvements." Interestingly, "[i]f Prince William had voted against the tax plan, the entire regional package would have crumbled because Loudoun County is opposing it and together the two growing suburbs total more than a third of the region's population."As you pay your higher taxes on "home sales, rental cars, hotel rooms and auto repairs," just keep that in mind. Also, keep the Prince William Board of Sueprvisors' action in mind when you hear Republicans claiming that they're the party for lower taxes. They're not.
In other news from Prince William, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously last night to do...well, something or other about illegal immigration in the county.
According to the Washington Post:
...the resolution approved last night significantly weakens a previous proposal, removing or altering several of its toughest measures but asking county employees to look for ways to lawfully deny services to illegal immigrants.
What does this accomplish? Probably nothing, except to marginally increase harassment of hard-working, law-abiding Hispanics (both legal and illegal) living in Prince William County. Obviously, it does not address what is overwhelmingly a Federal issue, to set immigration policy and defend the nations' borders. According to Gregorio Calder+¦n, "a legal U.S. resident from El Salvador," "[t]hey're going to pull me over just for being Hispanic." And according to "Hank Azais, who owns a tax preparation service catering to Hispanics in Manassas," immigrants "have built our homes; they have built our roads."
That's all true, but unfortunately, Supervisor John T. Stirrup Jr.(R-Gainesville) chose to demagogue this issue, ranting about how illegal immigrants are causing "economic hardship and lawlessness" in Prince William County. They are? Do you have any evidence of this, Mr. Stirrup? No? I didn't think so.
Finally, I thought the following line from the Washington Post article was very telling:
Privately, though, several supervisors had expressed doubts about the implications of denying public services to immigrants. But given the political climate surrounding the issue, they said they felt compelled to back Stirrup.
In other words, there were no "profiles in courage" on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors yesterday, whether on illegal immigration OR on raising taxes. Heckuva job.
I suspect this is going to be similar to the $3500 speeding tickets in that revenues will be generated by high taxes (fees) on a few people. Meaning the majority of road users will not pay for the improvements and that those who are paying will pay a steep price.
So again, it's an attempt by the Republicans who crafted this crap to avoid putting the responsibility of paying for roads on the people who use the roads.
Yeah, you know where I'm going with this: GASOLINE TAX INCREASE.
I've heard some people grumble that the gasoline tax increase isn't a good way to go, but I've yet to hear anyone propose a funding solution...
* that is more responsible
* that directly ties the tax to the problem
* that is more evenly divided among users
* that results in a lower cost per user
* that is the least cost to implement in terms of changes to the existing infrastructure