Anti-Gas Tax Formula

The residents of Osceola County are about to pay dearly for the mis-management of local governments. Just as gas prices have started to come down, and residents have earned some relief at the pump, Osceola County wants to max out it's local option 'Gas Tax' to the full 11-cents per gallon to fill the holes in their government budget. Of course our local mainstream news media, the Osceola News Gazette, was quick to jump on board with this tax raising idea and praised it in an editorial this past weekend. In the Editorial called "5-cent gas tax needed now", the Gazette's Editors urged Osceola County Government to enact a new 5-cent per gallon of gas (which means that you are actually paying Osceola County 11-cents per gallon) and to dedicate the funding to the Lynx transportation system, road improvements, and rail transportation. Their crack investigative teams have uncovered something that most of us have known for years, the county has fallen behind on road construction and maintenance projects that we have already paid for. Although their editorial is filled with nothing but empty promises, false logic, and pure mis-statements, this un-news article is not about the ignorance of the media, it is about the idea of raising another tax.

We have been told for many years that growth should, and would pay for itself. It has not. As we have written time and time again, growth will never pay for itself. Better "Transportation Options" were supposed to have been taken care of because of the bounty of dollars generated by growth which would bring impact fees, more property taxes, and more revenue in general. Well, where are they? What we are left with is a lot of pipe dreams and promises and no money to pay for them. That is unless we tap the ATM (Automatic Tax Machine) known as the residents of Osceola County. The idea is really very simple, government does not have to cut back and make hard decisions if it can generate more revenue without increasing it services. Government would just end up with a higher profit margin that it could then roll into advanced spending measures that have little to do with "Public Transportation" or "Better Roads," or any other type of political campaign promise like "Transportation Options." Lynx will never be funded adequately because it serves a segment of our population that historically does not vote. If "Public Transportation" was really a big concern of politicians, then why have commissioners allowed it to be in the middle of a funding game of chicken? And if roads that served our working class citizens who are just trying to get to work and home again in a timely fashion were honestly on the agenda, then why is it that a majority of the funding for road construction and maintenance for the past fiver years has been spent on new roads for creating more developable land for homes to be built on? The homes that, by the way, should be paying for all the transportation improvements we now need. Growth will pay for itself after all, right?

The problem with an increase in the gas tax is that the money will never be spent for what it is intended. Sure for a year or two, to get though re-election campaigns, some money will make its way to Lynx and our roads so signs can be erected to show how government is spending our money. Then someone will come up with some plan that will need the transportation funds to accomplish, and the promises of "Transportation Options" will be broken again.

The real problem is that local governments do not want to save more in their general fund money to pay for the improvements that are being talked about. Cut "Access Osceola" and use that money to fund Lynx. Cut County Commissioners allowance's that they gift to government dependent social programs and give that money to Lynx. Cut retirement benefits for elected public servants and give that money to Lynx. There are "Funding Options" other than making another withdrawal from the pockets of Osceola County residents and we suggest government explore those first.

The last argument that the WayneWho staff would like to make is that the total of increases in fees and taxes for governments, toll road authorities, and over-leveraged private sector companies trying to stay afloat are going to continue to erode revenues locally. While many will argue that an increase in the gas tax will only add $160.00 to the amount spent on gas for the average family in one year, we need to then add the extra $80.00 in toll increases for the year, $40.00 in increases for trash collection, $150.00 for increases in electric and water, and then of coarse whatever additional increases there will be in gas when the price goes back up. With the state the economy is in right now, a tax increase cannot be looked at in a vacuum. While we do not suggest that local governments should take a back seat in generating the revenues for services that their residents truly need, we are suggesting that governments develop a big picture mentality. The bigger picture right now for most in our community is survival, and taking more money from them is irresponsible.