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Ingram, Hutchinson on two di_erent roads on highway funding

West Memphis’ very own Democrat Sen. Keith Ingram made no bones how he feels about Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s NO NEW TAX highway funding plan by telling his colleagues who voted to support the governor that his legislation “fails to qualify as a short-term solution to a long-term problem.”

Ingram’s rant went on to say, “Instead, it creates a long-term problem with no solutions.” He said the legislation reduces surplus funds and interest earnings needed to shore up the budget during economic downturns and to deal with emergencies in state government.

Ingram, one of only ten senators who voted against Hutchinson’s plan, praised the egotistical and pompous Sen. Jimmy Hickey, Sens. Bill Sample, Greg Standridge and Ron Caldwell, for their renegade attempt to derail Hutchinson’s plan. Ingram said their NEW TAX plan was “a thoughtful common-sense solution to an extraordinary, complex, problem that needs far more than a Band-Aid as a cure-all.”

So exactly what did Hickey and his cronies failed attempt try to do? Well, in advance of the special session that Hutchinson called to deal with highway funding, the four senators circulated draft legislation to implement the first year of the governor’s plan and then pop Arkansans with an 8 cent-per-gallon increase in the state’s gas and diesel taxes.

It would take four long years before taxpaying voters would have a chance to weigh in on the tax, which would skyrocket Arkansas gas tax far above any other state surrounding Arkansas.

Let it be made clear that the state’s current gas tax is now 21.5 cents per gallon, and the state’s diesel tax is 22.5 cents per gallon, both of which also exceed the taxes surrounding state’s have in place.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang clearly disputed Ingram’s assumption and said the highway funding legislation that Hutchinson signed into law simply won’t create more budget problems based on the state’s general revenue forecast.

The actual facts of this highway funding plan involves using a combination of general revenue, surplus and rainy-day funds to help the state come up with $50 million per year in order to qualify for $200 million in annual federal matching funds that will be available under a five-year program.

According to Hutchinson, the plan does not raise taxes but results in a $1 BILLION highway program over five years.

While Ingram, Hickey and a few other elected officials are advocating higher taxes to solve the highway funding shortage, the governor and his supporters believe it would be better for such a tax proposal to originate with a citizen’s petition that with lawmakers, and we could not agree more.

If taxes are the answer to a more comprehensive fix for the state’s highway needs, which have been estimated at $20 billion over the next 10 years, then it should be up to the taxpaying citizens of Arkansas to decide.

And, let’s remember Ingram was around the halls of the state capitol back when former Gov. Mike Beebe formed his special Blue Ribbon Committee on Highway Finance which recommended higher fuel taxes.

If there is now such an urgency to raise taxes to fix state roads under Gov. Hutchinson’s administration why wasn’t something done to implement similar increased tax recommendations of Beebe’s highway committee back in 2010?

It might be a good idea for these senators who are determined to raise gas taxes find out first how their constituents feel about that, wouldn’t you think?

BIBLE VERSE

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

5:6

Matthew