heated tax debate & locke on commerce

heated tax debate & locke on commerce

Heated Tax Debate & Locke on Commerce plus Food Forethought. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

Former Democratic Washington Governor Gary Locke was tapped by President Obama as the new Secretary of Commerce. The old saying, “Third time is a charm” may be the case as the first two nominees have both dropped out. Locke thanked the President for the opportunity to help turn the economy around.

LOCKE: Working with the professionals at the Department of Commerce, I’m committed to making the department an active and integral partner in advancing your economic policies and restoring the American dream to all Americans.

Locke still must get through Senate confirmation hearings to assume the post, and there are a number of issues over which he may face questions.

Idaho’s House Revenue and Taxation Committee had an idea on how to raise money and Idahoans were not very happy the proposed tax increase on beer and wine. The monies raised would be used for substance abuse treatment funding and general fund revenue to help offset the cost of alcohol abuse. In a midday session yesterday the House killed the bill on a 13-5 vote. The last time the beer tax was increased was when it was established 48 years ago.  The wine tax was last increased 38 years ago.

Now with today’s Food Forethought, here’s Lacy Gray.

Listening to two fellas the other day comparing their big rigs I overheard the one say that his truck ran on cow power. Now, I have heard of horse-powered, but cow-powered? Reportedly the diesel trucks he uses on his farm have been converted to operate on methane gas produced from the waste of his dairy cows. The converted methane gas to fuel is not only good for the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions but is cleaner burning than diesel. Converting the methane gas at present though is not a cheap process, but hopefully continued research will result in a more affordable conversion. Reportedly, the benefits of switching from diesel fuel to methane could be compared to taking sixteen million cars off the road. That is a figure not easily dismissed. And, no pun intended, looking down the road, the possibility of more methane rigs on our nation’s highways than diesel no longer seems that far fetched  They say need is the mother of invention; there is definitely a need, and methane is looking like the mother load.  

Thanks Lacy. That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.

 

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