Has state Rep. Jason Watkins, R-Wichita, got a deal for Kansas drivers: a repeal of the state’s 24-cent-per-gallon fuel tax. Trouble is, the gas tax raises $426 million annually to fund highways. In explaining the bill he filed last week, Watkins said he’d cover that road building by taking $450 million from the general fund. Much as legislators might like to go along with Watkins in this election year, reality surely won’t let them, given that legislative auditors have said about that much more money is needed for K-12 schools.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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33 Comments
I think I’ve got boots that are older than Watkins.
Not a good idea. Gas prices are already going down. The economy can absorb the price level of gasoline. It’s not a critial issue at all.
Watkins might be younger than your boots but he is smarter than your old donkey! Why is it that obviously needed changes such as reducing taxes on gasoline in these days of super high gas prices and removing sugary soft drinks from schools “can’t be changed because it would eliminate much needed income to government.”
Not only is the price going down, an analyst report on CNN this morning is projecting gas prices to drop about 75 cents per gallon between now and labor day.
That prediction does not include sporadic “spikes” due to the upcoming hurricane season, Iran sabre rattling, etc., but does see a world wide trend of lower prices.
Granted that I think we are too heavily taxed but this sounds too much like robbing Peter to pay Paul.
For the love of God…Rhonda, we get it…give the kids their money. Message received. Have no idea how we’re going to pay for it? Who cares. Supreme Court Justice meeting secretly with the Senate President going over Excel spreadsheets on an acceptable forumla? Move along, nothing to see here, let’s not blow this out of proportion. Just get the kids their money. Good grief.
Now, Raptor, you don’t honestly think that the Oil President isn’t going to keep making noise about those nasty Iranians, do you? Never mind the 10 years to a nuke, and never mind the fact that Iran might actually be telling the truth about a peaceful purpose.
And you don’t honestly think that commodities traders aren’t going to run oil up this fall under the guise of hurricane preparations?
When government is bought and paid for by big oil, and when traders have a vested interest in high oil prices, it’s hard for me to envision anything pro-consumer emerging from this giant conflict of interest.
“Supreme Court Justice meeting secretly with the Senate President going over Excel spreadsheets on an acceptable forumla?”
Gosh blow, and all those secret and illegal meetings, werent they all with REPUBLICANS?
heheh. The party of corruption.
So… I guess blow thinks that the drivers of all those gas hogs need the money or deserve the money MORE than the children of ks?
Typical kansas priortities. Subsidize the rich, let the middle class eat cake. And kenny wilkes will say, on EVERY tax cut for the rich, that it “results in enough economic growth to pay for itself”.
Given the state of kansas’ finances, and the record federal republican deficits, how has that been working kenny boy?
When are you all gonna give up on that tired laffer curve? I guess when you have ALL the money.
I’ll criticize my own party when it’s wrong. Unlike, well, you, farmer. Besides, R’s like Nuss and Morris give R’s a bad name. You can have ‘em.
Jump in any time, Blow.
God knows the Republicans have been wrong on so many things.
Not claiming anything, Jim. I am not an expert in oil futures analysis..was simply commenting on CNN’s analysis. I found it interesting that it referred to Iran worries and hurricanes as “temporary spikes”.
I think that in “Dubya’s World,” it’s simply not possible for any consumer-friendly developments.
But I’d like to think CNN is right. That would mean $75 a month back in my wallet, and it’s badly needed.
Tip-toe around, but never mention Zionist Israel’s nuclear threats as the cause of high-priced gasoline due to high-priced crude oil supplies responding.
Threaten the supply, the price goes up.
They’ve got you monkeys tap-dancing…around and around, ever so careful for fear of being labeled “anti-Semitic,” “Jew-Hater,” or “Holocaust Denier.”
Dance monkey… dance.
Still not quite sure where you stand on Zionist Israel, Ed.
LOL.
Now, back to the topic at hand: Within a matter of hours after crude’s fall today comes the Pinochet of the Potomac doing exactly what I said this morning he would: Rattling his sabre about that little Middle East country.
Those who think Dumbya isn’t manipulating the world price of crude from the White House are either partisan hacks or fools.
IAF missile strike hits militant training base in southern Gaza
An Israel Defense Forces statement said that aircraft attacked a building used by Fatah for “planning and staging terrorist attacks.”
Yeah, right.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/714542.html
I did NOT come up with Watkins’ nickname in Topeka.I only WISH I had.
Trip The Light Fantastic.
In a three-cornered hat with little bells that go jingle.
Oh, such a fool’s fool.
In admiration of someday having no wits left.
Ed Friedemann
“I’ll criticize my own party when it’s wrong. Unlike, well, you, farmer.”
Oh, right, Blow. KFG has never had an unkind word to the say about the nat’l Dems, Jan Pauls & her cowardly cronies, or “Governor Leadership.”
“Threaten the supply, the price goes up.”
But don’t you think profit–greed, avarice, etc.–is ultimately behind it, Ed? People like Paul Wolfowitz like to live well at the expense of others, and their naturally brutal, militaristic view of the world dovetails nicely with the militaristic Zionism they support.
Don’t it?
“…the price goes up..” I have trouble with this concept. Prices never go up by themselves. Some person consciously sets a price. Whether it is a parking meter charge or a barrel of oil, some person, somewhere, places a price.
Headlines read, “gas prices shoot up” or whatever. Nope..the prices don’t do a thing by themselves. They raise the prices by 25 or 30 cents a gallon every time there is the smallest blip at the wholesale barrel price. Yet, when price pressures are relieved, it seems to take a lot longer for them to reduce gas prices. Amazing….
Yep. Greed and avarice at its center. No doubt there, Rage…just wish I could get in on it!!!
“Yep. Greed and avarice at its center. No doubt there, Rage…just wish I could get in on it!!!”
Hehe, me too, Rap! But I don’t could I look at myself in the mirror in the morning. . .
Raptor, Gas prices lag behind oil prices as it takes a while to make gasoline from the last 100 million barrels you bought for 75.
Crude is traded on the open market and futures go both ways; up and down. Bet which way? that’s the trick.
75 oil is a reaction to the nuclear threat from Israel.
If Israel did not exist there would not be this problem.
No worries, Rage. Make enough money so you HIRE people to shave you, comb your hair, etc. To heck with the mirror…
The sick O’s in our legislature cant even stop the gas coming out of Reverend Fred Phelps MOUTH! Let alone reduce the tax on gas or the sick price of gas. We need some real people that are mean and mad at all the existing fools in office that fail all of us only to promote themselves!
Vote ALL encumbents out of office!
Power to the people that are hostage the oil cartel. Get rid of politicians till we have a realistic national enegry plan that free’s Americas soul!
Lady!
The Government take for gasoline is much higher than oil company profits.
And those government taxes on gasoline fund highway and other infrastructure Joe.
The oil company profits do…….?
The oil company profits pay for research and development, exploratory drilling, pipelines, refineries, oil barges, filling stations, Millions of jobs around the world, they help you get to point A to B and therefore help your job, dividend income to millions of retirees who rely on pensions. It helps fund teachers, government employees, and many who have pensions and 401K’s.
Nobody gives consistant dividend returns like the oil company and many millions benefit. If Oil companies didn’t make a profit, nobody would be in the business and therefore no automobiles and no highways. Unless you want the government to nationalize and run the oil industry in the USA. Talk about a nightmare senario.
Sorry JR. Nice try. But the oil companies do a lot with their money than you ever can fathom and its all for the better.
So the CEO of Exxon made $144,000 a day. Did you know that Katie Couric makes $80,000 a day? She’s not too far from the CEO of Exxon, but I here nobody complaining about her obsence pay. The question would be, what does Couric profits do…..?
Joe?
“research and development”
Into what? Thier own profits and commercials devoted to same?
“Nobody gives constent dividend returns like the oil company” Your words Joe. Oil Company. A mistake when you meant companies but illustrative of the monopolozation of that resource. Was that a slip?
And thier profits at the expense of the many get the few rich? Well heck I’ll remember that when I fill up!
Katie Couric makes something approaching what an oil exec does? Your point? How can you champion ONE aspect of “free market capitalism” by citing another that you approve of less?
Joe you got one real confused point of view.
J R. I hate to say this, but you are utterly niave about this topic.
You have no idea how the real world of the oil industry work. I know you’re political stance is to hate the oil companies and that’s fine. You don’t have to like them, but you don’t know what you are talking about.
You’re financially and business illiterate. Nothing hurts me more to say that. I really like you and I don’t like being so callous, but I have to this time.
As a friend, don’t take it personal. There are things I don’t know that I’ll admit to, but there are things I do know and I do know how the oil business works and you are wrong. That’s it!
And you Joe are just a little TOO business “literate”.
What has changed in the cost of oil? Extraction? Nope about the same. Refining? Spare me the crap about how no new refineries is the fault of environentalists. If it was pofitable the environmentalist be damned. Less refining = more demand = greater profit.
Joe? Do take it personal. You are rapidly becoming incomprehensible. On the one hand you are an idealist. On the other a cold blooded bottomline dweller. You need a third hand to sort out the first two.
Watkins is the most irrational idiot in the state house. His sole purpose in being there is the gratification he recieves by coming up with stupid legislative schemes that get his name in the press. When he is not re-elected next time around look for him in your neighborhood riding on the back of a trash truck.
Here’s some info voters might be interested in. From the Ark Valley newspaper.
>Valley Center
Second partner in award-winning company files for bankruptcy
The second of two partners in one of the fastest-growing companies in Wichita has filed for bankruptcy.
Jason Carter and Jason Watkins, 1991 graduates of Valley Center High School, owned SecureAmerica, a security systems dealer that won a Wichita Business Journal Metro Award in 1999 after the company grew 1,891 percent in three years.
Watkins completed bankruptcy proceedings in March 2001. Carter followed suit last month.
Carter’s Chapter 7 filing on Jan. 25 listed liabilities of more than $1.7 million and assets of only $152,150.
Watkins reported total liabilities of more than $2.5 million and assets of only $232,600.
Carter and Watkins’ company was located in the Orpheum Office Centre at 200 N. Broadway in Wichita. They also had offices in Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, Houston and San Antonio. When the partners won the Metro Award, their company employed 15 on its corporate staff and 300 in all six offices combined.<