Sure, your price at the pump may go down temporarily, but you’ll be paying higher sales tax and fees. All thanks to your Republican controlled General Assembly and Republican Governor.
Among other things, the taxportation bill…
– Ends the 17.6 cent per gallong tax on diesel and gasoline, but imposes taxes on wholesale fuel sales (guess who will get to pay for that?)
– Prohibits tolls in I-95 without General Assembly approval (you mean the guys who raised our taxes?)
– Raises the sales tax from 5% to 5.3%
– Raises the car titling tax from 3% to 4.3%
– Adds a $100 year tax on hybrids
– Adds an additional .7 percent of sales tax in Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia
– Adds a 3 percent Northern Virginia hotel tax
Look, I’ve worked for these guys for years. I still believe in conservative principles and (most of) the Republican Creed (don’t ask me what ’cause I’m not looking it up to itemize).
But the Taxportation Plan of 2013 was the final straw. I tried to hang on. I tried to believe. And sure I’ll vote for some of them again, I may even advocate and campaign.
But I’ll never trust them.
To be fair a good number of Republican Senators and Delegates voted against the plan. My Delegate and Senator among them. They didn’t lose my support.
In addition to the taxes, here are some of the other July 1 changes…
HB1907 and SB1222, Allows police to stop and ticket people for texting while driving and increasing fines for it from $20 to $125 for a first offense. It had been a secondary offense, meaning police could ticket it only if a driver is stopped for a superseding violation such as speeding. The law also provides for enhanced fines for texting drivers who are convicted of reckless driving. (Chapters 790 and 752)
SB1335, Removes public access to concealed handgun permit records. (Chapter 659)
(And speaking of the Republicans, let’s not forget that they actually asked for these records in spite of passing this legislation. They withdrew the request.)
HB1639, Exempts correspondence by members of the General Assembly and their aides from public view under the Freedom of Information Act. (Chapter 199)
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