Tag: Americans for Prosperity

Fifty Leading Tennessee Conservatives Send Open Letter to State Legislature Opposing Gas Tax Increase

Tennessee Star Staff

Fifty leading Tennessee conservatives have sent an open letter to the Tennessee General Assembly opposing Gov. Haslam’s proposed IMPROVE Act, which includes a 7 cents per gallon gas tax increase and a 12 cents per gallon diesel tax increase. The letter was released Tuesday morning, on the same day the House Transportation Committee is scheduled to vote on the IMPROVE Act. Conservative political strategist Steve Gill noted: “The names on this letter should raise concerns among Republican legislators. These are the exact types of conservative political activists who run in Republican primaries, recruit others to run in Republican primaries, and help those who run in Republican primaries.” Gill said that a gas tax increase, if passed, will likely be THE issue in 2018 Republican primary races. “Voters will essentially have a referendum to repeal the tax by replacing those who voted for it with those who will vote to repeal the tax increase,” Gill noted. “The mail pieces and radio adds against the tax increasers almost write themselves.” Another Republican political consultant pointed out the ideological impact of the current internal policy battles in the Republican Party at the state and national level. “The Ryan Obamacare-lite plan may expand the…

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House Transportation Committee Fails To Advance IMPROVE Act, Despite Multiple Tactics By Chairman Doss

Laura Baigert

  The House Transportation Committee failed to advance Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act (HB 0534) on Tuesday, despite multiple tactics employed by Chairman State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma), a vigorous proponent of the governor’s gas tax increase proposal, to accomplish that outcome. The committee voted instead to roll the vote over for another session in one week. Voting in favor of a one-week delay were Representatives David Alexander (R-Winchester), Dale Carr (R-Sevierville), Timothy Hill (R-Blountville), Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville), Courtney Rogers (R-Goodlettsville), Bill Sanderson (R-Kenton), Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station), Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) and Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville). Voting against the delay were Chairman Doss, and Representatives Barbara Cooper (D-Memphis), Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), Kelly Keisling (R-Byrdstown), Eddie Smith (R-Knoxville), Ron Travis (R-Dayton), Sam Whitson (R-Franklin), John Mark Windle (D-Livingston). Chairman Doss initially declared that the motion to delay the vote for one week had failed, even though the roll call vote was 9 to 8 in favor the delay. When several members vocally objected, Chairman Doss declared the motion passed and the meeting was quickly adjourned. The day began in subterfuge, when Chairman Doss held a bill review session one hour prior to the scheduled full committee meeting. That bill review session was…

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Commentary: Oppose Wednesday’s Vote to Raise Tennessee’s Gas Tax

Andrew Ogles

There’s no denying that Tennessee’s infrastructure is in need of repair. But Gov. Bill Haslam’s proposed gas tax increases to fund the projects—which the state House of Representatives will vote on this Wednesday – isn’t the right solution. Instead, lawmakers should use money already in the state budget, which is more than enough to meet our transportation needs. The key component of Gov. Haslam’s plan is to increase the state’s tax by 7 cents a gallon on gasoline and 12 cents a gallon on diesel – respective increases of 33 percent and 65 percent over what we currently pay today. Not only that, but it will also be indexed to inflation every other year. That means each time you go to the pump, you’ll pay more to the state and have less money to spend on your personal needs—and it will get worse every two years. On top of the gas tax increase, Gov. Haslam wants to nickel-and-dime us with an increase in vehicle registration fees, too. All combined, the governor’s proposal includes nearly $300 million in higher taxes every year. And that’s not all. The proposal would also give municipalities a bite at the tax apple, allowing them to hold referendums on raising local sales taxes to…

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Source: State Rep. Barry Doss Huddled With Gov. Haslam’s Top Staffer to Stop Hawk Plan at Subcommittee

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star - Doss Huddle during Transportation Subcommitee Meeting

Reporting by the Chattanooga Times Free Press that State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma), a strong supporter of Gov. Haslam’s plan to increase gas taxes by 7 cents a gallon to fund more road construction, was the driving force behind the sudden adjournment of the Transportation Subcommittee on Wednesday prior to the expected vote on the Hawk Plan, the popular alternative to the governor’s plan, was re-enforced by photographs of the event taken by The Tennessee Star. In that photo, Doss is seen having an intense conversation with two unidentified individuals immediately before the sudden vote to adjourn was taken. According to a long-time legislative operative, the people in the photo appear to be State Rep. Barry Doss, Stephen Smith (the governor’s recently named legislative director) and an unnamed political operative with a beard. If indeed the person whose back is to the camera is Stephen Smith, it would underscore the governor’s near-panic that his gas tax was in major trouble last Wednesday. “I have seen sneaky legislative maneuvers before,” said the source. “And the presence of Stephen Smith huddled together with the governor’s lackey, Rep. Doss, would be understandable. The governor sending his #1 staffer to the legislature at this…

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Haslam Gas Tax Hike Opponents Gather at ‘Tank the Tax’ Rally Set for Wednesday

Christina Botteri
Tennessee Star - Tank the Tax Rally March 1

As the Haslam IMPROVE Act plan to increase fuel taxes returns to the Transportation Subcommittee on Wednesday March 1, Americans for Prosperity and other activists plan to “turn up the heat” by gathering at Legislative Plaza to express opposition to the proposed tax increases. The Transportation Subcommittee, Chaired by Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster), is scheduled to meet at noon. Andy Ogles, Tennessee Director of Americans for Prosperity, said that activists will be coming from across the state to express opposition to the proposed tax increases. “Once taxpayers realize that the huge tax increases proposed by the Governor are coming when we have a TWO BILLION DOLLAR SURPLUS their reaction to the plan becomes almost a unanimous ‘NO’ and they can’t understand why their elected officials are even entertaining the idea,” Ogles noted. “The only way the Haslam Plan passes is if their supporters successfully hide the truth about what the plan actually means to the wallets of working men and women in Tennessee. To stop it, we simply need to get the truth out and encourage taxpayers to get engaged in this fight.” Ogles also expressed concern about the glaring absence of conservative leadership in the Legislature on this issue.…

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Former Lt. Gov. Ramsey A Paid Consultant to Pro-Gas Tax Coalition

Tennessee Star Staff
Ramsey at Townhall

Former Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey told The Tennessee Star on Thursday he is a paid consultant to the Tennessee Coalition on Transportation, an advocacy group that supports Gov. Haslam’s 7 cents per gallon gas tax increase and a 12 cents per gallon diesel tax increase. Ramsey’s revelation came during a break in the two hour broadcast of the WWTN Gas Tax Town Hall, moderated by Nashville Morning News host Ralph Bristol on the Dan Mandis Show. The event featured a studio audience, which was virtually unanimous in its opposition to the gas tax. Ramsey advocated strenuously on behalf of the gas tax increase. He was one of eight panelists at the event. Other members of the panel included Andy Ogles, executive director of the Tennessee chapter of Americans for Prosperity, which opposes the gas tax, David Smith appearing on behalf of Gov. Bill Haslam, State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), State Sen. Paul Bailey (R-Sparta), State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Lawrence County), Rep. Brian Terry (R-Murfreesboro), and Rep. David Alexander (R-Winchester). “I did leave the legislature back, I made my announcement in March, and left in November, of course, at the election,” Ramsey said in his opening remarks as a member of the…

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Americans For Prosperity Opposes Gas Tax, Proposes Alternative

Tennessee Star Staff

Andy Ogles, executive director of Americans for Prosperity-Tennessee (AFP), unveiled the group’s alternative plan to finance Tennessee’s highway infrastructure improvements on Thursday, vigorously rejecting Gov. Haslam’s proposed 7 cents per gallon gas tax increase. Speaking at the WWTN Gas Tax Town Hall, Ogles accepted the premise that Tennessee’s budget over the coming years should allocate $2 billion for highway improvement and new construction. But Ogles said relying upon the increase in the gas and diesel tax as the only “user fee” mechanism to fund those improvements was not a stable long-term solution, since improvements in gas mileage and the possible rise of alternative means of powering vehicles would likely continue to limit the revenues from those sources to the state. Ogles said that if you except the idea of user fees then one such user fee could be vehicle fees at the time of a vehicle purchase or registration. “I think there’s some math that is important to remember,” Ogles told the panel and studio audience. “And the biggest number or numbers that you should remember is that currently, Tennessee has $1.8 billion in surplus. Now, there’s a lot of moving parts to this and talking about math on the…

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