Green: the gang that couldn't talk straight

Congressman Mark Green -- the candidate for governor who pretends he's never been in Congress -- has a history of bobbing, weaving, ducking, and waffling on the issues. Ask anyone who's tried to get him to talk about Social Security changes, for example.

But he's finding that when you run for governor people expect you to answer questions on issues.

Well, not all of the time, especially if it's the Journal Sentinel asking. You can just say you want to cut the state budget and cut taxes, but you don't have to say how. Or you can say ethics reform is the centerpiece of your campaign, without anyone asking you why you've voted against ethics reform in the House.

But Green's starting to be held accountable, at least to a small degree.

He blew off a questionnaire on ethics and campaign reform, but had to provide some answers -- although bad ones -- when his non-response made news.

Now it's the gas tax. The JS asked Green and Gov. Jim Doyle about the issue. Doyle said he wouldn't raise gas taxes. Green ducked, said he'd decide after the election. This must have especially bothered him:

Green reminded members of the Transportation Development Association in a May video message that he voted for an increase in the gas tax while he was in the Assembly.

"I was there for you . . . and I will be in the future," he said in the video, according to the trade group's newsletter.

Which brings us to today:

By Patrick Marley, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Green now says he will cut gas tax

Madison Republican candidate for governor Mark Green in recent weeks has refused to say what he wants to do with the gas tax, but today issued a statement saying he would drop it by two cents a gallon.

The move came just hours after the Journal Sentinel reported Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle had promised not to raise the gas tax. In two interviews in recent weeks, Green said he would not make up his mind on whether to hike the gas tax until a legislative committee made recommendations after the Nov. 7 election.

But today, he issued a statement noting that he announced in November he wanted to end a 2-cent gas tax used to clean up leaking underground fuel storage tanks. The rest of the state's 32.9 cent tax on a gallon of gasoline goes toward transportation projects.