Wayne Christian, Texas Railroad Commissioner, Says Stop Federal Subsidies

It is about time we see more Texas officials calling for less intrusion into our private lives and stop taking money from the middle class taxpayers and redistributing it to high income Americans through subsidies.Zach Maxwell

"A conservative Texas lawmaker is asking the Texas Republican Congressional delegation to eliminate an Obama-era tax exemption and use the funding saved to lower rates. 

On Wednesday, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian, one of three regulators charged with keeping watch on the largest energy producing state in the country, sent a strongly worded letter to members of Texas’ Congressional delegation urging them to repeal the $7,500 tax credit for the purchase of an electric vehicle – a lingering Obama-era addition to the tax-code. 

The subsidy has long been criticized by Texans as an example of the government interfering in the free market. And indeed, the Republican Party of Texas platform calls on all elected lawmakers to support “a free enterprise society unencumbered by government interference or subsidies.

Why do conservatives oppose subsidies from the government?

The answer is simple according to at least one Republican. 

“The government should not be in the business of picking winners and losers,” said Jay Slaughter of Cisco, Texas. 

“Anytime the government gets involved in the free market, it just doesn’t end well for the consumer or the small businessman and tips the scales in favor of big business and the corporate elite,” he continued.In his letter to Congress, Christian cites a report that shows this subsidy primarily benefits the rich and well connected at the expense of all American taxpayers.“In California, a state report found that 94%of tax credits went to people living in wealthy neighborhoods and showed that the overwhelming profile of prospective electric vehicle consumers earn more that $100,000 per year,” writes Christian.Christian then doubles down on his statement, stating “It shouldn’t be federal tax policy to pay the wealthy to buy any car – electric or otherwise.” 

According to Christian, the point of the tax credit was to incentivize people to buy electric vehicles in order to reduce the carbon footprint, but based on the facts the tax subsidy didn’t even accomplish that foolish goal. 

In spite of the government program, the number of gasoline and diesel powered cars on the road have increased year by year. 

Government governs best when it governs the least, and keeps its hands out of citizens’ lives and wallets and Christian should be commended for seeking to end a special subsidy for some and ensure a more even playing field for all taxpayers."