I can’t believe he said that

I think my record speaks for itself. I have voted for tax increases for transportation on at least two or three occasions.

So said Ken Stolle on the radio yesterday, according to this Daily Press story. The statement was offered in response to a caller’s comment that legislators have an “aversion to raising taxes.” They were talking about the civil remedial fees portion of the transportation bill.

Interesting comment, to say the least. Nevertheless, you have to applaud the Senator’s willingness to admit that he has voted for tax increases. Far too many of the House Republicans are unwilling to even consider a tax increase, which is how we ended up with this mess we call a transportation bill.

As the Virginian Pilot pointed out today, an increase of 1.5 cents in the gas tax would generate the necessary revenue currently being counted on to come from the imposition of the CRFs. If public safety is truly the reason behind the CRFs, then the $65 million in the budget won’t be realized, anyway, so some other source will need to be tapped to make up for the shortfall. To me, the gas tax fits the bill.

I just hope that Sen. Stolle will be voting again for a tax increase.