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[Replaced_Texan]

Texas Democratic State Representative Trey Martinez-Fisher held a conference call yesterday with bloggers to explain his gas tax cut proposal. As reported by Charles Kuffner:

Like several other bloggers, I had the opportunity to speak to Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer about his HB120, which is a proposal to suspend collection of the state gas tax for 90 days. There's a website up that explains the particulars and also offers a petition to sign if you support the idea - Governor Perry would have to add this to the call of the special session for it to be considered. Take a look and see what you think.

I'll be honest, when I first heard about this idea, I thought it was a gimmick, not unlike the US Senate's much-derided $100 bribe rebate that went over like a lead balloon. I've since changed my mind, and this is what convinced me.

• We are fortunate because we can afford to give taxpayers a Gas Tax Holiday during the summer months. The estimated cost of HB 120 is 700 million dollars. That's less than 10% of our state's budget surplus. The last time I checked the surplus belonged to Texas taxpayers so it makes perfect sense to give it back in times of need.
  
  Moreover, Texas will receive, over the next several years, an average of 788.1 million federal dollars pursuant to Equity Bonus Program, which Congress authorized under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Act (the Federal Highway Bill). I am told by a member of the Appropriations Committee that this money is un-appropriated and can be used to offset the lost tax revenue during the Gas Tax Holiday.

If there's a pot of unappropriated money that can pay for this, so that the existing budget is left intact and we're not essentially borrowing against future obligations to pay for an immediate need, then I can support it. (If it turns out TxDOT already has a purpose in mind for this pile, then we can reconsider as needed.) It's strictly a bit of short-term relief, but I think it will have a salutary effect, especially for people who drive their own vehicles as part of their jobs, like Rep. Martinez-Fischer's neighbor Willie the plumber. I've also heard anecdotal evidence that some charities, like Meals on Wheels, have been hard hit by the high gas prices. If this helps them keep getting the volunteers - and their cars - they need to do their good works, then so much the better.

Alaska gets its bridge to nowhere out of last year's transportation bill. Texans get cheaper gas. I like this proposal.