The hypocrisy is strong

Dear Better Roads Ahead PAC,

Yes, in fact, there is a better use for a few pennies:  Back in my pocket where they belong.

What you don’t seem to understand (or perhaps you understand it quite well), all the money you’re paying unionized printers to send out 8-1/2×11 cardstock political ads would take the place of a lot of those pennies you want from me.  Why don’t you give that money directly to the state of Indiana instead of asking me to support raising the gasoline tax?

In fact, the Better Roads Ahead PAC is apparently funded, in part, by the very unions whose members would benefit from the state spending more wallet-hoovered money on road repairs.  In Illinois, where last year the PAC was making similar noise, it was supported by, for instance, “Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers, one member of the coalition behind the BetterRoadsAhead.org PAC”.  But you can’t find out who the “coalition” is by going to the PAC’s website.

People in Indiana are already taxed to the hilt for a gallon of gasoline.  According to Wikipedia, the state tax on a gallon of gasoline in Indiana is 29.89 cents.  Add 18.4 cents federal tax to that and now you’re up to 48.29 cents per gallon just in taxes.  If my average fillup is 8 gallons, that means every time I fill the tank, the state and Uncle Sam get $3.86.

The state doesn’t need a few pennies more. The state already gets plenty.  Maybe the unions who back your PAC ought to take a wage cut, instead.