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PUTNAM NEWS
Holiday weekend a topic of Joint Interim Committee
INSIDE THE HOUSE
By Patti Eagloski Schoen
This upcoming weekend, July 4, 2009, the United States will celebrate its birthday and commemorate its independence. Our nation's annual "Fourth of July" celebration, which includes fireworks, flag waving and parades, appears to have influenced some of our interim committee agendas.
I have been informed that the Joint Interim Committee of Government Organizations will be studying the subject of fireworks. The committee will review the sale, possession and ignition of fireworks. Our state law prohibits the setting off of certain types of fireworks by unlicensed individuals. But judging from all of those big white tents with "Fireworks" signs displayed next to them, it appears there is an inconsistence in our state law as to who can own and who can ignite firecrackers, sparklers, fountains, cones, big booms and others.
Parades, flags and "Honor Guards" must also be on the mind of the Interim Committee on Veterans Affairs. Current studies show many of our service men and women return unable to successfully re-enter into their community and home life because of the lingering impact active duty has on them. The VA committee will look into various ways our state can further help our veterans' transitions from active duty back to civilian life (if you recall this session, we successfully passed a Higher Education Bill that will permit our veterans to attend West Virginia's colleges and universities tuition free).
Patriotism and citizenship go hand-in-hand, especially in July. The Interim Committee on Infrastructure will be looking at one of the most controversial Federal vs. State issues we have addressed in a long time. The Federal Government several years ago passed a law requiring every state to implement the REAL ID program. This legislation requires states to comply with a Federally mandated driver's license. Failure to comply with the mandated driver's license results in direct loss of federal funds.
The idea of a uniform driver's license throughout the United States at first blush seems acceptable. However, many states are balking, saying the mandates of the Real ID are too expensive to implement and the mandates that require personal and private information to be included and accessible on the Real ID card violate a citizen's right to keep certain personal and private information from public accessability.
After several years of personally advocating that need to change the way we obtain highway funding, the Joint Interim Committee on Finance will finally study the gasoline tax and alternate methods of highway funding. Currently, all state highway funding comes entirely from the gas tax. West Virginia's gas tax adds an additional 30 cents to the cost of gasoline sold in our state.
Economics show that when a gas tax is used as the exclusive and sole funding source for our state highways and a like or similar tax is not placed upon the purchase of gasoline by our bordering sister states, the result is a decrease in highway revenue and a decrease in amount of money that comes into our state (known as the State's Gross Income, or SGI).
Studies using economics and economy of scales show that if a state uses a gas tax as the sole way to obtain money in its Highway Fund, then, when fewer gallons of gasoline are sold than before, the state collects a gas tax on fewer gallons of gasoline and therefore, the money available for the State Highway Fund must also decrease because the State Highway Fund has no alternative or other funding source.
Additionally, economics show that the gas tax is an unfair, regressive tax. Economics also show that the gas tax results in West Virginia losing revenue and jobs to our border sister states because the lower cost of gasoline in these states encourages our citizens who live in border counties to cross state lines to purchase their gasoline and while there, they do their family shopping, eat and even spend their entertainment dollars -- all of which results in lost SGI and lost jobs for West Virginia.
This interim committee topic will definitely be one to keep your eye on. My own personal hope is that the committee comes up with a fair, workable funding source that will enable the state to make those much-needed repairs and upgrades. If you have any thoughts, ideas or suggestions for an alternative funding source, please contact the Finance Committee or me using the information below.
Many of you will be traveling to family reunions, to Ripley for the Arts and Crafts Fair or to other local destinations to watch the parades and celebrate with the community. I wish you all a Happy and a Safe "Fourth of July."
Delegate Patti E. Schoen can be reached at 304-340-3141(capitol phone) or 304-415-0411 (cell), or by e-mail at pschoen@mail,wvnet.edu. For more information please check out www.pattischoen.us and www.leig.state.wv.us .
