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I was listening to WCAP while running errands yesterday and happened to catch an interview with Michael Widmer, president of the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. Naturally, the discussion centered on the economy, and in particular, the governor’s alleged plan to raise the gas tax 29 cents, making it the highest in the nation. (Turns out, the governor is still in the planning stages on that issue, with his tax hike anywhere from five cents to 29 cents—the former number not even close to being the highest in the nation.) Today’s Globe reports: “The gas tax in Massachusetts is 23.5 cents per gallon, which has not been substantially increased since 1991. A 29-cent increase would bring the state’s tax to 52.5 cents per gallon. New York currently has the nation’s highest state gas tax, at 41.3 cents per gallon.”

During the interview, Widmer said that some gas tax would be acceptable if it was tied specifically to improving roads and coupled with reform of the state’s transportation agencies. He also went on to explain the difference between his foundation and Citizens for Limited Taxation (CLT), probably most familiar to readers in the form of Barbara Anderson and her many columns. Widmer noted that while CLT strongly supported Question 1 on last year’s ballot—you know the one to eliminate the state income tax—the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, a research-based think tank, determined the proposal would be devastating to the delivery of services and require a steep rise in property taxes. As someone concerned with quality of life issues and services that impact our community’s health, such as education, I think it’s important to stay informed about an organization that has both credibility and objectivity on its side.