Reports indicate a poll is being conducted referencing a non-existent bill to raise the gas tax written by House Transportation Chairman Rep. Charles Busby.
Y’all Politics has reached out to a few contacts to attempt to identify who is behind the poll and obtain a copy of it, however neither has proved fruitful as of yet.
At least one group – Americans for Prosperity – has come out publicly opposing a gas tax increase to support state infrastructure repairs as suggested by the MEC.
Rep. Busby posted the following on his Facebook page this morning:
“It has been brought to my attention that a poll is being conducted regarding a bill reportedly written by me to increase the fuel tax by 15 cents per gallon to help improve/maintain our state’s highway infrastructure. Some people are taking the pollster’s word and running with it. I’d ask, did they give a bill number, did you look it up and confirm? The answer is NO because it doesn’t exist. That being, I will be coming forward with a plan as soon as I’m convinced that the cost of my program is less expensive than the cost of doing nothing.
If someone knows who is conducting this poll please share it with me so I can talk with them directly beings they obviously lack the courtesy or the backbone to do so to me.”
YP will update this story as more information becomes available.
UPDATE: AFP’s Russ Latino tells YP that their organization has been polling the MEC’s proposed gas tax but has not referenced Rep. Busby or a potential bill yet to be dropped by him. Latino also indicated that all AFP calls clearly identify the organization.
2/22/16
