G'day Bill,

Replying to a message of Bill Grimsley to Jeff Green:

 JG>> It's 4c per litre bought for the next four years ie 4x4.
 BG> Ah, so it's OFFICIALLY 4 cents now, is it?

Yep. So was the last one. Only the first one was 3x3.

 JG>> As you said, it was originally 3x3.
 BG> Yeah, I know.  Thieving cunts...
 JG>> After those three years 

 BG> Hang on a tick Jeff, waddya mean "after those three
years" ?  As far
 BG> as I can recall, the 3x3 tax has been in existence for at least 7,
 BG> maybe 8 years.

The 3x3 lasted for three years (as the name implies). The legislation was
then re-enacted as 4x4 (by the Liberals) with the money to be used only for
roads. The latest 'update' has since been re-enacted as another 4x4 (by
Labor) with the added bits to the legislation allowing the money to be used
on other things.

 JG>> it became 4x4 (with the Labor opposition screaming blue bloody murder
 JG>> all  the way to the electorate).
 BG> How did they explain it away, as just another CPI increase ?

No. The federal Labor govt was cutting the NSW allocation of roads funds
(per capita or something similar). This was a perfect political tax.

 BG> And just as I said when it was first introduced, it'll NEVER be
 BG> repealed.

Yep. With the next lot of legislation, it will be included with general
revenue (to save on administration expnses of course).

You know something. As I wrote the above, I could clearly see & hear
Humphrey Appleby. Hmmm....

Regards...Jeff (jeff{at}grntrs.dialix.oz.au)

--- FleetStreet 1.04 NR