What’s a House Speaker to do when his hometown newspaper gets four-square behind a tax hike? Be prepared for the worst:
Mr. Howell should throw his support to the Senate’s funding ideas–especially the highway-user-paid gas tax–bringing as many GOP delegates as possible with him. This would cost him the speakership, he would have to caucus with lepers and tramps, and Grover Norquist would have kittens. But such a sacrificial move would win him an honorable place in the annals of state governance–and keep faith with the congestion-vexed voters who elected him to improve traffic movement here.
There are far worse things than caucusing with “lepers and tramps.” Caucusing with blinkered editorial page scribblers comes to mind almost immediately. And so does being stuck in an elevator with a freshly botoxed Joan Rivers.
Nevertheless, that the Free Lance-Star believes the only way out of the transportation mess is to shovel more money into a failing system (one that even the paper admits is in need of reform) is not entirely surprising. The press is known for many things, but original thinking rarely, if ever, appears on the list.
But even a plodder can blunder into the truth. Bill Howell expended a great deal of personal political capital getting the regional transportation authorities established. Now that they have been gutted, his response will speak volumes on his ability to think outside of the old tax-and-pave box.
Early indications are that he’s not exactly too eager to explore any other alternatives. If so, that might just mean he is destined to lead a caucus of lepers and tramps…in the minority. (cross-posted at Tertium Quids)