Heartland Institute Experts React to Gov. Dayton’s Plan to Hike Gas Taxes
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton (D) on Monday unveiled two funding proposals intending to pay for increased spending on transportation infrastructure. One plan includes an increased tax on gasoline while the other relies on a hike in license tab fees.
The following statements from policy experts at The Heartland Institute – a free-market think tank – may be used for attribution. For more comments, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland guest on your program, please contact Director of Communications Jim Lakely at [email protected] and 312/377-4000.
“Both of Gov. Dayton’s proposals to pay for increased highway construction spending are bad ideas, and lawmakers should start thinking outside of the box and exploring options that don’t involve increasing consumers’ pain at the pump.
“Hiking the state’s gasoline tax, a regressive tax with a disparate impact on low-income earners, would serve only to pump the brakes on the state’s economic momentum. Likewise, the state government should not increase fees and surcharges on the cost of applying for license tabs. State lawmakers instead should seek to reduce wasteful spending and actually spend the money in the state’s highway fund on highways.”
Jesse Hathaway
Managing Editor, Budget & Tax News
Research Fellow, The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000
“Before raising any taxes or fees on already burdened Minnesotans, lawmakers should first make sure the state’s highway funds are actually being used efficiently. Throwing good money after bad money will only exacerbate the problem, with the bulk of the pain being felt by low- and moderate-income-earning Minnesotans.”
John Nothdurft
Director of Government Relations
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000
The Heartland Institute is a 32-year-old national nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000.
Jesse Hathaway is a policy advisor for budget and tax issues at The Heartland Institute.
John Nothdurft joined the staff of The Heartland Institute in May 2008 and left in January of 2019.
