Lawrence O'Donnell has pointed out the following. Though there may be another state more Republican than Wyoming, it is hard to imagine. For example, there are only four (4) Democrats in the state Senate. The State Senate and state house are 85% Republican. The governor is Republican as are the two Federal Senators and the Representative. Yet, the state Senate and state House recently enacted a 10 cent/gal increase in the state gasoline tax and the Governor signed it into law.* Of course this increased gasoline tax falls most heavily on the working poor and is a regressive tax.
It is O'Donnell's thought that if there aren't Democrats around to do the responsible thing, the Republicans will act responsibly.
The reference* also discusses Virginia where the state Senate has passed a 5 cent/gal increase in the gasoline tax indexed to inflation. The Virginia governor has proposed a wild change of eliminating the state gasoline tax and increasing the state sales and use tax by 0.8% plus increasing the state vehicle tax by $15 and instituting a $100 fee on alternative fuel vehicles. I'm not sure whether this change would fall more heavily on the working poor as it just changes the tax method, though this change in the sales tax would broaden the tax collections to those who do not own vehicles. The state House approved of the Governor's plan.
I don't know why the Governor of Virginia is imposing the $100 fee on alternative fueled vehicles. I would think he would give such vehicles a $100 credit, if anything. It appears that he is opposed to such vehicles. I presume this is because of the possibility of off-shore drilling for oil.
* http://news.agc.org/2013/02/15/wyoming-approves-gas-tax-increase-virginia-still-debating-funding-increase/
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