Another plan isn’t always a better plan…

Our View

Another plan isn’t always a better plan…

Not “no,” but “hell, no!” to this harebrained idea from no other than state Sen. Jimmy Hickey to circumvent Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s NO NEW TAXES plan to address the state’s highway funding needs.

Hickey, this seemingly pompous politician and the mastermind at abolishing the citizen lottery oversight committee and placing the multimillion-dollar gaming operation in the laps of politicians and bureaucrats, is now leading the charge that would raise the state’s gas and diesel taxes rather than using existing surplus tax dollars as suggested by Hutchinson.

Hickey of Texarkana, along with Sens. Bill Sample of Hot Springs, Ronald Caldwell of Wynne and Greg Standridge of Russelville, are pushing the idea of increasing the 21.5-cent gas tax to 26.5 cents per gallon and the 22.5-cent diesel tax to 27.5 cents a gallon that would generate an estimated $100 million in fiscal 2018.

Also, their proposal would increase both fuel taxes by yet another 3 cents a gallon for fiscal 2019021 to raise another $60 million a year.

If Hickey and his band of political allies are able to pull this money grab off, circumvent the governor’s intentions and the vote of the citizens then and only then would the victim taxpayers be called upon to make these increases permanent, which we doubt they would support.

Hickey knows very well that putting his higher tax plan before voters would be a failure and that is why, in our opinion this slick politician, is deliberately trying to sneak this tax and spend idea behind their backs.

Let’s go back about four months ago when Gov.

Hutchinson proposed using some state surplus funds and reallocate other funds to increase the state’s match for U.S. highway dollars that will become available this fall.

Hutchinson proposes phasing in a reallocation of sales taxes from new and used cars, up to $25 million a year over a five-year period; re-reallocating $2.7 million a yea from the state’s diesel tax; and no longer deducting $5.4 million a year for state central services from the state’s half-percent sales tax that’s devoted to highways.

Let’s also remember that we, the voters, already approved a temporary 10-year half percentage-point sales tax increase for highways in a constitutional amendment in 2012.

We believe, as many other people, that it would be absolutely disingenuous for Hickey and other lawmakers to approve a tax increase for highways without putting the issue before the voters.

This is certainly not the time to raise the tax burden on Arkansans, especially knowing there are other means available to address the problem that goes back to former Gov. Mike Beebe. Let’s remember that it was Gov. Beebe who created the Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Funding which came up with many ideas to offset highway funding shortages, including some of the alternative measures now being proposed by Gov. Hutchinson and his special Working Group on Highway Funding.

The lessons these career state politicians need to learn from what is currently going on in politics today as it relates to the presidential election is that the people are sick and tired of the status quo, sick of not being taken seriously, and being deceived by a political system that is obviously out of control.

BIBLE VERSE

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

3:15-18

James