DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO TAX HOME HEATING FUELS & GASOLINE
This is a written transcript of Rep. Hanley’s address. Below is an audio version of his message.
Hello, this is Jeff Hanley, the State Representative from Pittston.
Living in Maine is more expensive than many parts of the country. Our size and location require Mainers to pay more to heat our homes in winter and to travel longer dist
ances to and from work.
In spite of this fact, Maine Democrats in the legislature seem to be relentless in their pursuit of taxing our fuels. They are seeking to tax home heating fuel, our propane, kerosene, diesel, gasoline and other fuels.
They are intent on taxing every conservable thing we need in our daily lives.
Just the other day, yet another bill to tax home heating and gasoline was heard by the Legislature’s Energy Utilities and Technology Committee.
Maine Legislature LD 1231 is one of many that we have seen this session that levy a seemingly small tax, but will have large, negative implications for everyone living and working in Maine.
That bill, introduced by nine Democrats, imposes “a new fee tax of 1% on the wholesale sale price of heating oil, propane, coal, kerosene and dyed diesel fuel that is intended for residential or commercial heating purposes.
The bill proposes to put a tax on every heating fuel sold in Maine. It will increase costs for every individual, family and business in Maine. Like all the other proposals, this will slow the economy and make it harder for people to live and work here.
Wholesalers can and do pass charges onto consumers to cover their costs complying with new laws and regulations. Whats more, there is nothing to stop them from charging even more.
We live in a state where virtually everything moves by truck. Everything we eat, consume and utilize in daily life travels by truck.
It is amazing to me that Democrats want to increase the cost of everything we eat, consume and utilize in daily life!
In Maine, people need to heat their homes and travel long distances to and from work or to socialize.
Other proposals this session have threatened to raise the price of oil .40 cents a gallon.
Maine LD 434 – An Act to Price Carbon Pollution in Maine received so much public opposition that Committee Democrats have turned it into a “study” and sent it to Governor Mills.
At my direction, Committee Republicans have written our own letter to the Governors expressing our unanimous opposition to the bill. We oppose placing a significant burden on businesses and households and the disproportionate impact a “carbon tax” will have on Maine’s low-income residents.
Our Committee still has a number of troubling proposals that will come before us. A community solar bill will be presented that will cost ratepayers (you and I) an additional $5-8 million every year.
Another will force us to pay .17 cents for kilowatt, three times more than the current rate reported by the Maine Public Utilities Commission.
Every one of these bills will increase the cost of everything in Maine!
Republicans understand how much it costs for you to heat your homes and travel. We will do everything we can to oppose new taxes on small businesses and working families.
Unfortunately, we are now living under one-party rule and Democrats have comfortable majorities in both houses. That means that you are even more important in the fight to stop new taxes on gasoline and home heating fuels. Please contact your local legislators. Tell them now is not the times to raise taxes on home heating fuels and gasoline.
Tell them not to give sweetheart deals to special interests groups and make low-income families subsidize them.
This has been State Representative Jeff Hanley with the Weekly Republican Radio Address. Thank you for listening. Below is the audio file if you would like to listen to Rep. Hanley’s address in his own voice.
Rep. Jeff Hanley represents District 87: Alna, Pittston, Randolph and Wiscasset. He serves as the Republican Lead on the Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee.
