Assembly Democrats Decide to Raise Gas Taxes

Jerks.

Assembly Democrats voted Wednesday to impose a tax on oil companies that could add as much as 4 cents to a gallon of gas.

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle for years has pushed for taxing oil companies and barring them from passing on the assessment at the pump. But Assembly Democrats said they were concerned such a provision would violate a constitutional protection on commerce. That would mean the state would lose a likely lawsuit from the oil industry and have to pay millions in interest and legal fees.

Instead, Democrats who control the Assembly tweaked Doyle’s provision and allowed gas companies to pass on the tax at the pump if they wanted. Rep. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse), author of the proposal, said oil companies could not increase the price of gas more than 4 cents a gallon.

Yeah, dream on.  How exactly is the state suppose to enforce that?  The 4 cents nonsense is just a fig leaf.