SHAHEEN TRIES TO HIDE SUPPORT FOR GAS TAX HIKE

SHAHEEN TRIES TO HIDE SUPPORT FOR GAS TAX HIKE

 

CONCORD – One month after clearly stating her support for an increase in the federal gas tax, Senator Jeanne Shaheen is now trying to conceal her support for the disastrous tax hike.

 

On June 8^th, 2014, Senator Shaheen met with transportation officials in Portsmouth and said she would support a gas tax hike according to the Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth Herald columnist Douglas Rooks even congratulated Shaheen on supporting the unpopular tax hike.

 

“The idea of a gas tax increase has even won support from such cautious lawmakers as Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who’s advocating an immediate increase for bridge projects,” wrote Rooks.

 

Facing a difficult reelection campaign, Shaheen is trying to shift her position and hide her support for a gas tax hike. The Concord Monitor reports that the Shaheen campaign is dishonestly trying to claim she opposes a gas tax increase while refusing to deny the accuracy of the Portsmouth Herald story on her support for it.

 

“Senator Jeanne Shaheen clearly announced her support for a burdensome federal gas tax increase that will hurt working families and damage small businesses. In the wake of Governor Maggie Hassan’s disastrous state gas tax increase, Senator Shaheen is trying to walk back her comments and hide her obvious support for more taxes,” said NHGOP Chairman Jennifer Horn. “Fortunately, Granite Staters are able to see through her dishonest election year stunt and realize that a vote for Jeanne Shaheen is a vote for higher taxes.”

 

Shaheen has been a longtime advocate of a gas tax hike. According the Union Leader, Shaheen supported an increase in New Hampshire’s gas tax as a state senator in 1995.

 

Shaheen also a history of hiding her position on tax increases during election years. As a state senator she was open to a broad-based tax. As a candidate for governor, she took The Pledge against a sales or income tax, then broke her word and proposed a disastrous sales tax.

 

“When it comes to taxes, Jeanne Shaheen is a proven liar. She is willing to do and say anything to get elected, break her word, and then saddle working families with higher taxes once in office,” said Horn. “Jeanne Shaheen has proved that she is a two-faced Washington politician who cannot be trusted to hold the line on taxes.”

 

BACKGROUND:

In June 2014, Shaheen Suggested Raising The Federal Gas Tax As A Solution To Funding For Infrastructure Investment: “Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., told a group of East Coast transportation officials that the United States is woefully behind other nations in adequately funding infrastructure, and it has to make a commitment to catch up. … Shaheen said she believes the solution is going to involve ‘a whole variety’ of moves, including raising the gas tax, which hasn’t been increased since 1993, asking states to pay more of the burden and turning to the private sector for support.”(Deborah McDermott, “Sen. Shaheen Calls For Investment In Infrastructure,” Portsmouth Herald, 6/9/14)

 

The Shaheen Campaign Won’t Deny The Accuracy Of The Portsmouth Herald Story On Her Support For A Gas Tax Hike: “The campaign could not confirm or deny whether the Herald article, which did not quote Shaheen directly, accurately portrayed her comments. The Herald reporter who wrote the article could not be reached for comment, but there is no correction accompanying the story.” (Kathleen Ronayne, Campaigns use gas tax increase as latest talking point, Concord Monitor, 7/6/14)

 

As A State Senator, Jeanne Shaheen Supported Raising The State Gas Tax: “Co-sponsor Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-Madbury, who has participated in four previous bills studying the turnpikes, said many motorists ”want to know why they pay a toll to use a highway in their area when motorists elsewhere in the state do not.” She wants the state to look at raising the gas tax to ease the burden on those who use toll roads.” (Donn Tibbetts, “Additional NH Toll Road Study Could Examine Gasoline Tax,” Union Leader, 1/26/95)