What is Really Behind the Mississippi Gas Tax Increase
Mississippi Economic Council - Mississippi Economic Council
www.msmec.com
The Mississippi Economic Council has been the voice of Mississippi business since 1949. MEC deals with broad issues that relate to businesses through advocacy ...
They concocted a scheme to raise taxes on gasoline, diesel and cigarettes. Here's how it was intended to work:
1. The MS Economic Council initiated a strong push on the MS Legislature to upgrade the roads and bridges in Mississippi.
2. They posted articles and asked their members to write letters to the editors and local elected officials - urging them to find money to upgrade the roads and bridges in Mississippi;
3. They said millions of dollars in goods are shipped out of Mississippi each year by trucks - which is an important part of Mississippi's economy. So, we must have good roads and bridges to facilitate this inter-state commerce;
4. Then, they organized an event where certain elected officials urged business people/MS Chamber of Commerce to contact representatives and senators to find money for a multi-million dollars road and bridge improvement program.
Here is what they failed to report:
1. The Chamber of Commerce has been a primary proponent of many bills that set up entry barriers to new businesses (i.e. more licenses, permits, insurance requirements, etc.). This was done to protect their members who already own big businesses in Mississippi - who want to minimize competition. But it hurts the young, creative and innovative people who would otherwise try to start new businesses, but give up after finding out how much time and money is required to jump over all these artificial (and un-necessary) entry barriers;
2. The MS Economic Council wants improved roads and bridges to support the transportation needs of their own business owners - but they want everyone else to be forced to pay higher gasoline taxes, cigarette taxes, etc. to pay for roads that they are using to enrich themselves;
3. Those higher taxes won't hurt them - because they will simply pass it along to their customers. But the higher taxes will hurt the low and middle income workers in Mississippi who don't own businesses - and struggle to pay their bills;
4. The MEC Legislative Scrambler event was sponsored by the Road Builders' Association - who will make millions on the improvement projects.
QUI BONO - Who Benefits?
WINNERS: The winners of a tax increase are the tax-and-spend politicians in both house (Republicans and Democrats) - who will always spend all the money they collect to insure their own re-elections, and the business owners who use the roads to make their fortunes, and the contractors who will get the contracts for the road and bridge renovations.
LOSERS: Everyone else living and working in Mississippi to support this largesse.
www.msmec.com
The Mississippi Economic Council has been the voice of Mississippi business since 1949. MEC deals with broad issues that relate to businesses through advocacy ...
They concocted a scheme to raise taxes on gasoline, diesel and cigarettes. Here's how it was intended to work:
1. The MS Economic Council initiated a strong push on the MS Legislature to upgrade the roads and bridges in Mississippi.
2. They posted articles and asked their members to write letters to the editors and local elected officials - urging them to find money to upgrade the roads and bridges in Mississippi;
3. They said millions of dollars in goods are shipped out of Mississippi each year by trucks - which is an important part of Mississippi's economy. So, we must have good roads and bridges to facilitate this inter-state commerce;
4. Then, they organized an event where certain elected officials urged business people/MS Chamber of Commerce to contact representatives and senators to find money for a multi-million dollars road and bridge improvement program.
Here is what they failed to report:
1. The Chamber of Commerce has been a primary proponent of many bills that set up entry barriers to new businesses (i.e. more licenses, permits, insurance requirements, etc.). This was done to protect their members who already own big businesses in Mississippi - who want to minimize competition. But it hurts the young, creative and innovative people who would otherwise try to start new businesses, but give up after finding out how much time and money is required to jump over all these artificial (and un-necessary) entry barriers;
2. The MS Economic Council wants improved roads and bridges to support the transportation needs of their own business owners - but they want everyone else to be forced to pay higher gasoline taxes, cigarette taxes, etc. to pay for roads that they are using to enrich themselves;
3. Those higher taxes won't hurt them - because they will simply pass it along to their customers. But the higher taxes will hurt the low and middle income workers in Mississippi who don't own businesses - and struggle to pay their bills;
4. The MEC Legislative Scrambler event was sponsored by the Road Builders' Association - who will make millions on the improvement projects.
QUI BONO - Who Benefits?
WINNERS: The winners of a tax increase are the tax-and-spend politicians in both house (Republicans and Democrats) - who will always spend all the money they collect to insure their own re-elections, and the business owners who use the roads to make their fortunes, and the contractors who will get the contracts for the road and bridge renovations.
LOSERS: Everyone else living and working in Mississippi to support this largesse.