Time for common sense solutions, not more taxes
Common sense is not all that common in politics.
So it was a bit of a surprise when New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu attributed his decision not to enter the Transportation Climate Initiative to “common sense.” The multistate compact would raise gas prices between 5 and 17 cents per gallon in the first year, which Sununu called “absolutely outrageous.”
He had previously referred to the measure as a “financial boondoggle” for the residents of his state.
The New Hampshire governor met with Boston Herald editors this week to discuss TCI and other issues our states share.
As the Herald’s Mary Markos reported, Sununu argued that current regulations will reduce green house gas emissions by 19% without any additional incentives, and, under “very liberal estimates,” the TCI would reduce emissions by an additional 1% to 6%.
Taxing the heck out of citizens at the gas pumps for a 1% to 6% reduction in greenhouse gases — no, that isn’t common sense at all.
And yet, it’s still on the front burner here in Massachusetts.
New Hampshire adopted the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in 2008, as part of a Northeast/Mid-Atlantic 10state initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a capand-trade program, and a report by nonprofit environmental group Acadia Center found that the RGGI states — Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont — reduced carbon dioxide emissions in the power sector by nearly half, exceeding the national rate by 90%.
The supposed “problem” with initiatives such as the RGGI is that they don’t penalize people for driving cars, the ultimate aim of environmentally linked gas taxes such as in the TCI. If gas is prohibitively expensive, folks will look to alternative transportation, which they just so happen to have funded through those astronomical gas prices. Nor do they turn taxpayers into ATMs to fund transportation projects, whether they take public transportation or not.
The impact on people who have to live day to day, commute, pay their bills and feed their families, well, that’s collateral damage. What do you do when you need to drive your kids to school, or go to work, but you can’t afford to fill up your car?
The TCI takes a rather myopic view of how greenhouse emissions can be lowered, which is a lost opportunity to examine other ideas, ones that may work for different states in the “pact.”
Sununu spoke of the need for flexibility in problem solving. He was an environmental engineer, back in the day, MIT Class of ’98. Engineers are big on practical solutions — perhaps all politicians should take a crash course right after they’re sworn in.
But in these parts, the word solution is synonymous with money, as in taxpayer money. And as long as there are taxpayers, there are solutions to any problems the state will encounter.
The thing is, there are alternatives for many Bay State residents if Massachusetts joins the TCI. Head over the border to New Hampshire and gas up there. Do a little sports betting while they’re at it. And maybe even check out some real estate.
“At the end of the day, you have to do what’s right by your citizens,” Sununu said.
Are you listening, Gov. Baker?