If reports are true that Governor Kay Ivey is planning on calling a special session to deal with the gas tax, it is being done solely to make it easier to pass through the legislature.

There are a few reasons for this and they include avoiding having to invoke a “Budget Isolation Resolution” that allows laws to be passed before budgets are submitted to the governor, but only after a 3/5th vote. Not calling a special session allows a smaller portion of legislators to hold up any legislation.

If Ivey calls a special session on this matter, it also limits the ability for the opposition to this tax increase to demand concessions in exchange for a reduction in taxes elsewhere.

This is a naked power play by Ivey and if the goal is to get a tax increase passed, it’s an effective one because the opposition to this measure is growing now that we have a framework of the legislation being publicly discussed.

Republicans appear to be ready to go at it alone on this issue because Democrats seem ready to let them be responsible for a tax increase.

State Rep. Laura Hall (D-Huntsville) told AL.com that after a public hearing she would not be supporting a gas tax, stating, “I did a Facebook survey, and most of my people are saying ‘no.”

She added, “If you want to know where I am now, it would be a ‘no.”

Hall is not the only Democrat preparing to make this a Republican tax increase.

A spokesman for the governor told Yellowhammer News earlier today Ivey will not be announcing a special session but acknowledge there have been discussions.

If Governor Ivey does indeed call this special session, it will be because she believes the gas tax cannot pass in the regular session with few of the remaining Democrats supporting it and with defecting Republicans making noise about voting against it.

@TheDaleJackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN