Gas tax going up... way up

[Sludgy]

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080115/D8U6725G2.html

[GasSavers_SD26]

Well, yeah...

If vehicles get better mileage, less fuel will be used. Less taxes received and consumed inefficiently by the government. They have to make it up somehow other than reducing their waste.

[dkjones96]

Man, that sucks. I'm buying a civic and a bike rack.

[Erdrick]

Forty cents over 5 years is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. If that is all that we see in pump price increases, we will be extremely lucky!

Five years from now, we will be living in the year 2013. That is a long time from now. Electric vehicles will most likely be fairly widespread, and within the reach of the upper-average consumer. Last I checked, electricity rates weren't going up. I haven't checked in a while though!

Basically, what I want to say is that the 40cents/gal increase ends up being a 8 cent per year permanent increase to the price you pay at the pump. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't going to break many peoples' banks. Heck, American pump prices can fluctuate more than 8 cents/gal in any given week, and sometimes overnight!

[GasSavers_BIBI]

Originally Posted by Erdrick

Forty cents over 5 years is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. If that is all that we see in pump price increases, we will be extremely lucky!

Five years from now, we will be living in the year 2013. That is a long time from now. Electric vehicles will most likely be fairly widespread, and within the reach of the upper-average consumer. Last I checked, electricity rates weren't going up. I haven't checked in a while though!

Basically, what I want to say is that the 40cents/gal increase ends up being a 8 cent per year permanent increase to the price you pay at the pump. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't going to break many peoples' banks. Heck, American pump prices can fluctuate more than 8 cents/gal in any given week, and sometimes overnight!

If electric cars become popular, electricity rates will go up as well, coal too.

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by Erdrick

Forty cents over 5 years is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. If that is all that we see in pump price increases, we will be extremely lucky!

Five years from now, we will be living in the year 2013. That is a long time from now. Electric vehicles will most likely be fairly widespread, and within the reach of the upper-average consumer. Last I checked, electricity rates weren't going up. I haven't checked in a while though!

Basically, what I want to say is that the 40cents/gal increase ends up being a 8 cent per year permanent increase to the price you pay at the pump. In the grand scheme of things, it isn't going to break many peoples' banks. Heck, American pump prices can fluctuate more than 8 cents/gal in any given week, and sometimes overnight!

SD26 said it best. to be more specific tho...it's not the 8 cents/year, but THAT increase along w/inflation and the flux in crude prices. add to that the "drunken sailor" spending of the US gov't, it makes no sense.

ok, what does the individual do to fund a new emergency fund(like gov't roads and bridges)? does one "tax" himself by putting MORE $ in savings, taking away from another fund(rent,car, food,etc)? NO WAY! first budget cuts MUST be made by ending eating out for example. speaking of the responsible consumer BTW. heard of pork barrel spending?

i realize US gas is cheaper than it's really worth, especially compared to the rest of the world. but, there is WAY too much gov't spending and waste to warrant tax increases on the American people. it should be going the other way(tax decreases).

some consumers ARE cutting back on gas consumption. you can't punish those for the excess consumption of others! maybe tax credits should be given on more than just hybrids.

sorry 'bout the rant. just found out my mortgage went up $40 due to increased taxes and insurance. do not have the cash this year to pay the escrow difference. add to that more taxes(gas and who knows what), i may have to vote democrat this fall in hopes of getting the free healthcare and other handouts!

[skewbe]

Originally Posted by Erdrick

If that is all that we see in pump price increases, we will be extremely lucky!

I would agree with that statement. 'course we have been subsidizing gas prices for a long time. With the shift in priorities the world has experienced though I'm fine with it. No need to encourage consumption for something we might aught to be trying to learn to live without. All other problems of the universe aside of course.

[Erdrick]

[QUOTE= some consumers ARE cutting back on gas consumption. you can't punish those for the excess consumption of others! maybe tax credits should be given on more than just hybrids.
QUOTE]

Sure you can punish everyone else for the excess of others. That is EXACTLY what is happening! You don't like your insurance rates? You could be a perfect driver, but your rates, to some degree, will be affected by things like 1) how hot an item your car is to thieves 2) how rare your car is 3) how other drivers your age drive and so on. Are any of these things your fault? No. Do you pick up the slack for them? Yes. That is the reality of living in a society with a government. I could point out hundreds of other examples of how others idiocy negatively affects each and every one of us.

Just stay one step ahead of the guy next to you, and you will be fine.

As for the whole government spending problem? I think it is a given that they could cut back in more than a few areas. Unfortunately, that doesn't look like it is going to happen. Just forces the rest of us to get a little creative and learn to work the system.

[baddog671]

Even with more fuel effiecent cars, your getting more and more young idiot drivers on the road. So it all evens out and gas consumption still increases...

[101mpg]

Tax credits ARE given out on more than hybrids. SUVs qualify for businesses as "farm equipment." So lots of (mostly small business) business owners buy their personal vehicle through the business to get a tax cut.

THAT is the lunacy we need to stop at the source. First politician who taxes vehicles based upon their fuel economy (anything above 40 mpg gets zero taxes) gets my vote.