Gas Tax Increase Possible

[JMOldeVintage]

Was channel flipping yesterday and came upon an interview with a GOP Rep or Sen. Believe I heard mention of increasing the Federal Tax on fuel by 1 1/2 cents to help pay for Infrastructure Work. That the tax hasn't changed since 1993 was cited & since all the tax breaks guess the bucks have to come from somewhere. BUT, swear I also heard that Congress considering a mileage/road use tax instead of or in addition to the tax per gallon. Never mind "how" you do this other than relying on State DMVs to do your $$ collecting & paperwork, but what will the effects be on people who live in rural area who must drive a distance to do just about everything; where a City doesn't have decent public transportation; where affordable housing is a long drive from your place of employment(?) While I know US desperately needs infrastructure improvements, almost get the feeling that people are grasping at straws to find a 'new, easier, improved' way to find the funds so promises can be kept, without having to look in the mirror at their approval of the "Tax Cuts & Jobs Act".

[VibrantSoulWellness]

I live in CA where we have some of the highest gas taxes in the country.  I'm not sure, but I think we pay about .80 per gallon, with the combined fed and state taxes. I'm thrilled because we're paying the low price of about $2.95 a gallon right now :/  I have a 70 mile round trip commute, and the main freeway I travel is going through some major construction that won't be complete until 2026 (big signs saying "Your Tax Dollars At Work!). It irks that trump just had to have the massive tax cut for the rich and is now looking to make up the lost funds on the backs of the middle class. 

[mytutuscloset]

in california $2.95 is a great price.  the lowest i've seen down here is $3.09.

we also have some sort of mystery surcharge in california.  

you can sure tell when you're driving behind a vehicle with mexican gas.  it smells horrid.  california gas is "cleaner" than other states.  as a kid we had "smog" days at school.  we don't have that trouble today.  

as far as a gas tax goes, california is trying to find a way to tax electric vehicles to pay for road work.  electric cars are quite common here.

[VibrantSoulWellness]

I remember those smog days, when the sky was gray and you couldn't see the mountains, even though they were only about 20-30 miles away. Now, we can see those mountains most of the time, except when we have a heavy marine layer (which is a good number of days a year!). 

[Marianne26]

The usual response from this side of the pond follows:

Was going to work out a whole load of figures showing comparative Europe/UK fuel and duty  costs, but in the end, just couldn't be arsed. Suffice it to say, you don't know you're born over there - even taking into account the fact that rural can be a lot more rural in the US!

[mytutuscloset]

i don't understand.  what are you trying to say?

it appears you are saying the eu tax is bigger than fed or state tax, therefore those in u.s. have no say.

[JMOldeVintage]

Marianne - Just asking me to compare liters vs gallons, kilometers vs miles or currency exchange rates could make my non-math brain want to explode. Yes, taxes & cost of fuel higher in Europe. Though remember reading once on where taxes went (believe it was either in France or Germany). In addition to road & infrastructure maintenance (though I guess there are miserable potholes everywhere) child care, certain parts of the health care system & mass transit some of the other beneficiaries of the fuel taxes collected. Probably things have changed since then but at the time it was eye opening.

[Marianne26]

mytutuscloset - It was just a general comment on the overall cost of fuel in the US compared with  the cost in Europe/UK.

[mytutuscloset]

thank you. i appreciate the clarification.

regardless where one lives it does seem fuel costs are too huge a percentage of ones income!

[marandydesigns]

In PA we have the highest gas tax in the country at 58.7 cents per gallon, followed by California at 55.22 cpg