BOB KERREY’S LONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH HIGHER TAXES
Last week, Bob Kerrey’s campaign told the Lincoln Journal Star that the former Senator supports tax relief for middle class families in Nebraska, yet Kerrey’s record shows that he’s voted to raise the gas tax on Nebraskans.
In 1990, Kerrey supported a budget resolution that raised the gas tax by 5 cents a gallon. Three years later, he cast the deciding vote in favor of President Clinton’s budget, which raised the federal gas tax by 4.3 cents.
That’s not all; Kerrey said he would be “ashamed” if anybody complained about the gas tax hike, and said he could have supported a larger 7.7 cent per gallon tax increase.
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“Bob Kerrey claims he supports tax relief for Nebraskans, yet during his tenure in Washington he voted to raise the federal gas tax,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Jahan Wilcox. “With the average price of gasoline at $3.44, it’s clear Nebraskans can’t afford Kerrey’s tax-and-spend agenda.”
BACKGROUND …
Throughout The Years Bob Kerrey Has Voted Multiple Times To Raise The Federal Gas Tax
In 1993, Kerrey Cast The Deciding Vote In Favor Of President Clinton’s Budget, Which Raised The Federal Gas Tax 4.3 Cents. (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #247: Adopted 50-50: R 0-44; D 50-6, 8/6/93, Kerrey Voted Yea; David E. Rosenbaum, “Clinton Wins Approval Of His Budget Plan As Gore Votes To Break Senate Deadlock,” The New York Times, 8/7/93)
In 1990, Kerrey Voted For A Budget Resolution That Raised The Gas Tax 5 Cents. (H.R. 5835, CQ Vote #326: Adopted 54-45: R 19-25; D 35-20,10/27/90, Kerrey Voted Yea; Mark Potts, “The Proposed Taxes,” The Washington Post, 10/26/90)
Kerrey Said He Would Have Supported Even Larger Increases
Kerrey Said The U.S. “Could Stand” A 7.7 Cent Per Gallon Tax Hike. “’I don’t feel the great challenge in America today is trying to debate whether or not it’s going to be 4.3 cents per gallon or 7.7 cents per gallon. I think we could stand either one,’ Kerrey said on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’” (H. Josef Hebert, “White House Doesn’t Support Utility Tax,” The Associated Press, 7/19/93)
Kerrey Said He Would Be “Ashamed” If Anyone Complained About The Gas Tax Hike
Kerrey Said He Would Be “Ashamed” If Anybody Complained About The Gas Tax Hike. “Unlike most other lawmakers, who were concerned that the package asked too much sacrifice, Kerrey was angered that the only tax to be paid by the middle class in this plan is a 4.3-cent increase in the gas tax. ‘If they notice, I’ll be surprised,’ Kerrey said. ‘And if they complain, I will be ashamed.’” (Jill Dutt and Martin Kasindorf, “A Done Deal,” Newsday, 8/7/93)
- KERREY: “Instead, We Find Ourselves With A Bill That Asks Americans To Pay 4.3 Cents A Gallon More. If They Notice, I Will Be Surprised. And If They Complain, I Will Be Ashamed.” (Sen. Bob Kerrey, Congressional Record, 8/6/93, p. S10706)
Kerrey Sponsored Several Bills To Raise The Gas Tax
In 1994, Kerrey Sponsored An Amendment To Express A Sense Of The Senate That A Disaster Relief Bill For A California Earthquake Be Paid For With A Temporary Gas Tax Hike. (S. Amdt. 1439 To H.R. 3759, Introduced 2/9/94; Alan C. Miller, “Earthquake: The Long Road Back,” The Los Angeles Times, 2/9/94)
In 1993, Kerrey Sponsored An Amendment To Express A Sense Of The Senate That A Disaster Relief Bill For Floods In The Midwest Be Paid For With A Temporary Gas Tax Hike. (S. Amdt. 697 To H.R. 2519, Introduced 7/27/93; Alan C. Miller, “Earthquake: The Long Road Back,” The Los Angeles Times, 2/9/94)
While Running For President In 1992, Kerrey Said He Would Consider Increases In The Gas Tax To Support Mass Transport Programs. “When asked if he would support increases in the federal gas tax to support mass transport programs, Kerrey said that he would consider it, but has no specific plans at this point.” (“Four Democratic Hopefuls Quizzed At NH Schools,” The Associated Press, 2/6/92)
