Patrick hints at an Increase in the Gas Tax

Governor Patrick is indicating this morning that after signing a budget with $1 billion in tax increases, he still thinks there may need to be an increase in the Gas tax to put the state financial system on "sounder financial footing." See Matt Viser's story in the Boston Globe.

While I applaud Patrick's desire to put the transportation system on a sounder financial footing, I fear this might very well raise the spectre of "Taxachusetts" once again. If you've just finished wiht a significant increase to the sales tax -- an increase that I predict may become even more unpopular than previous increases to the income tax -- then suggesting that a gas tax increase needs to be piled on top of that will, I believe, generate significant political opposition.