Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ! ( That should be heard as something sounding like a bittersweet, rueful, cackling laugh. )
Teapartiers and G O P supporters of 'soft rock star' Scott Walker, YOU HAVE JUST BEEN SCREWED OVER YET AGAIN. ( Whether you know, realize, or admit it - well, that's another thing altogether. )
The state Transportation Dept in your hero's state gov't ( i e , the state agency that handles motor vehicles and driver licensing ) is proposing raising taxes and other fees on Wisconsin motorists to the tune of about 3/4ths of a BILLION dollars ! And that's just over the next 2 yrs.
I'm sure his 'followers' will excuse it all cuz after all hey he's not one of them LIBERALS. Oh, and he is putting the screws to people who drive electric cars and hybrid cars by hitting them with a special $ 50 annual tax, so take THAT electric/hybrid car drivers ! You Democrat party lovers can write 'Obama-CAR' in the memo field when you write out your $ 50 checks. That'll teach you a lesson !
Two more elements of this massive tax/fee hike -
( keep on keeping on )
1. The average new car buyer will be hit up for an additional $ 800 in sales tax ( a k a 'fees' ). That's estimating roughly a quarter-million new car buyers in the state EACH YEAR and a corresponding tax ('fee') hike of close to $ 200 million a year. Again each and every year going forward.
2. The average late-model sedan owner will have their gas taxes increased $ 27 a year more ( and that hike like all others is 'in perpetuity' - not just next year but the year after that and so on ). Considering there are nearly 4 million automobile drivers in Wisconsin this runs to the tune of roughly $ 100 million a year in tax hikes - again, the first year, the second year, and every year after that.
Keep in mind, I am not necessarily arguing against any of these tax hikes - informed folks know how most states are struggling with Transportation Fund deficits for a host of reasons. Instead, I am considering this as yet another example of the COMPLETE DISCONNECT between teapartiers ('Taxed Enough Already !') and G O P voters who happily pull the lever for supposedly 'anti-tax' G O P candidates who then go on to slam the average citizen with massive tax and 'other fee' increases. And this proposal comes 10 days after the election, ha, ha, ha, ha.
It'll sure be fun to watch to see if the 'anti-tax' G O P dominated state legislature falls right in line like the human rubber stamps they are.
Imagine a Dem Governor's Transportation dept announcing a proposal to slam the hell out of auto drivers and car buyers with a three-quarter billion dollar hike in taxes/'fees' 10 days after getting re-elected and his party dominating the state legislature. Imagine the reaction !
The other item of hilarity here is the silly notion, already being put forward as usual by teaparty apologists, that somehow Gov Walker's Transportation dept's appointed leaders whipped this up all by their lonesomes - without the Governor having a clue that they were going to unveil it 10 days after the election. And the Governor currently has no comment about the proposal, of course.
Again - ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ( and again, insert loud, bittersweet, rueful cackling laugh here )
source - http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/...