Republican state lawmakers ponder hike in gas tax

I filled my car up with gas today, and I said to myself, "gasoline costs too much." But our elected representatives in Austin disagree. They want to increase the gas tax every year:

House Speaker Tom Craddick said Tuesday that he wants to squeeze more money out of the state gasoline tax by allowing the tax rate, now set at 20 cents per gallon, to rise in step with some type of inflation index. The tax, last increased in 1991, is a major revenue-raiser for highways and the public schools, but the state hasn't cashed in on the high gasoline prices of recent years because tax revenue -- which is based on quantity, not price -- has been relatively flat.

Gov. Rick Perry and Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst indicated they were open to the idea. "We haven't increased our gas tax in years," Dewhurst said. "We've got continuing challenges to put more money into our highways. We'll take a look at it over here in the Senate." Spokeswoman Kathy Walt said Perry believes the proposal is an "interesting concept that ... the Legislature ought to explore."

I'd like to take this opportunity to issue an open memo to the Lieutenant Governor:

TO: Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst FROM: Your Bosses RE: Tax Policy You do not have a divine right to receive more tax revenues every year than you did the year before. Now knock it off.