Re: Info on bills to reduce gas taxes

["Scott & Michelle Poesy" <gatorz@moscow.com>]

Tom,

You make a good point about public transportation, it is a worthy idea that
needs more attention.

  On the subject of the gas "tax", I am not opposed to the current amount of
tax that all Idaho residents must pay when they go to the pumps.  However,
the question that still hasn't been answered is, "Why is gas higher here in
Moscow than in Lewiston".  The last I heard, gas was as low as .95 cents in
Lewiston.

Scott


-----Original Message-----
From: Tom Lamar <lamar@pcei.org>
To: Gary Schroeder <gschroed@senate.state.id.us>
Cc: vision2020@moscow.com <vision2020@moscow.com>
Date: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 9:36 AM
Subject: Re: Info on bills to reduce gas taxes


Gary,
>
>Thank you for opposing both of these bills to reduce the gas tax.  In my
>opinion it is the wrong direction to go with our gasoline tax.  Given the
>impact our vehicles have on our communities and environment, we should be
>paying more, not less for gasoline.
>
>I understand that currently, the gas tax goes to pay for more and wider
>roadways, but if the legislature ever feels that they have "caught up" with
>these expenses, I welcome them to START investing in a public
>transportation.  Idaho is still one of only two states that has no
>state-based funding for public transportation (Alabama being the other).
>
>The Idaho Public Transporation division is literally confined to a
>double-wide trailer next to the Transporation Department Headquarters.  It
>is time to mainstream Public Transportation in Idaho and make it more than
>an afterthought.  My vote is to raise the gas tax, or start taxing tires,
>or raise the registration, or cut highway spending (God
>forbid)...something, anything to make PT work for Idaho.
>
>Thank you for your work.
>
>Tom


>Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director
>
>===================================================================
>Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute
>P O Box 8596; 112 West 4th St; Suite #1
>Moscow ID 83843-1096
>Phone (208)882-1444; Fax (208)882-8029
>url:  http://www.moscow.com/pcei
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>Please Note our individual staff email addresses below:
>
>Thomas C. Lamar, Executive Director: lamar@pcei.org
>Kathleen Lester, Office Manager/Environmental Education: lester@pcei.org
>Laurie Gardes, Financial Manager:  gardes@turbonet.com
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>Peggy Adams, Watersheds/Food Systems: peggy931@uidaho.edu
>Jon Barrett, Idaho Smart Growth:  smartgro@micron.net
>Elaine Clegg, Idaho Smart Growth:  eclegg@micron.net
>
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