Senator Norm Coleman Protests John Kerry's Support of a 50-Cent Per Gallon Gas Tax

Bush-Cheney 2004 ^ | March 29, 2004 | Bush-Cheney News Release

[FairOpinion]

MAHTOMEDI, MN – Today, Monday, March 29, 2004, U.S Sen. Norm Coleman was joined by local citizens to raise awareness and protest John Kerry's support of a 50-cent per gallon gas tax. Throughout his tenure during the Dukakis/Kerry Administration and in the Senate, John Kerry has repeatedly supported higher gas taxes.

"John Kerry has been consistent on one thing during his tenure in the senate and that is raising taxes on the American people. Supporting a 50-cent per gallon tax is irresponsible enough, but raising taxes during an economic recovery is reckless. This is something the voters of Minnesota will not easily forget," Coleman said.

John Kerry's Record of Supporting Higher Gas Taxes:

1994: Backed Half-Dollar Increase In Gas Tax. “Kerry said [the Concord Coalition’s scorecard] method did not accurately reflect individual lawmakers’ efforts to cut the deficit. ‘It doesn’t reflect my $43 billion package of cuts or my support for a 50-cent increase in the gas tax,’ Kerry said.” (Jill Zuckman, “Deficit-Watch Group Gives High Marks To 7 N.E. Lawmakers,” The Boston Globe, 3/1/94)

Supported Higher Gas Taxes As Lieutenant Governor

Dukakis/Kerry Administration Supported Higher Gas Taxes. “The Massachusetts Legislature … passed and sent to Gov. Michael S. Dukakis a gasoline tax bill that establishes an 11-cent-a-gallon floor, which means an increase of 1.1 cents a gallon over the current tax. … It was seen as a victory for the Dukakis administration … The administration, in one of the heaviest lobbying efforts in recent years, pushed for the … floor when wholesale prices began dropping sharply because of a world oil glut.” (Andrew Blake, “Mass. Legislature OK’s Bill Putting Floor Under Gas Tax,” The Boston Globe, 3/30/83)

Increase In Gas Taxes Cost $50 Million. (Editorial, “Democrats Act As If They Lost Touch With Little Guy,” The [New Bedford, MA] Standard Times, 7/6/83)

Supported Higher Gas Taxes At Least 11 Times As Senator

Voted Twice For Clinton/Gore Btu Tax, Increasing Gas Prices 7.5 Cents Per Gallon.

1993 Clinton/Kerry Tax Plan Increased Gas Taxes. The 1993 Budget Resolution conference report included a 4.3 cents-per-gallon increase in the gas tax. The budget resolution also contained a 2.5 cents-per-gallon extension of the current gas tax.

Voted To Kill An Amendment That Would Have Eliminated Gas Tax Increase From Budget Resolution.

Voted At Least Four Times Against Repealing Clinton 4.3-Cent Increase In Gas Tax. In 1996, the Senate Republican Policy Committee estimated the 1993 increase in the gas tax cost consumers $5 billion per year.

In 2000, Kerry Voted Against Suspending The 18.4 Cent Gas Tax For 150 Days.

[FairOpinion]

Gas taxes affect everyone, not just "those making over $200K", as Kerry keeps claiming about whom do his tax raises impact.

[battlegearboat]

Meanwhile, the Great Unwashed are driving off from the pumps w/o paying right now.

[GailA]

Add this to his 50% increase in CAFE standards he wants and gas prices in the US will look like those in Europe real soon.

[I still care]

It's the Al Gore "combustion engines are evil" mentality.

Yes, they want the taxes, but what they really want is to drive us back to the stone age. I saw Jennifer Granholm (D from MI) on hardball the other day, and when questioned about this, she actually said, we need to start using alternative fuels like windmills and solar.

Chris Matthews actually started to laugh. "But cars eat gas" he said...

[mewzilla]

Kerry says he wants to raise taxes on the top 1%. They already pay over 35% of taxes. How much more does he think he can get? He can't balance the budget by taxing the top 1% out of existence. He'll have to stick it to more people than that. Johnny's got a problem.

[CharacterCounts]

The "little guy pay a significantly higher portiom of his income on ggas purchases than do the wealthy. A 40 cent tax increase disproportionally taxes the low income. Why anyone would think the husband of a woman worth $500 millin is against the rich is beyond me.

[Colonel_Flagg]

"John Kerry has been consistent on one thing during his tenure in the senate and that is raising taxes on the American people. Supporting a 50-cent per gallon tax is irresponsible enough, but raising taxes during an economic recovery is reckless. This is something the voters of Minnesota will not easily forget," Coleman said.

Meanwhile, Coleman did not support GWB on ANWR. He's done a tremendous job on everything except this item. He heard from me on it, too.