Gas Taxes

[dreadgeek]

Originally Posted by WolfyOne

[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="Navy"]I was reading an article in my AARP Magazine and
thought it was quite interesting when I saw how much tax we pay per gallon of gas depending on where we live.

Does anyone ever really pay attention to the taxes when going to the pump?
Do we actually know where this money goes?
Do you ever feel like you're being gouged of hard earned money at the pump?

Actually, if you look at the US *globally* we pay *less* for gas than, strictly speaking, we should be. The United States has artificially low gas prices. In Europe, the average price for gas is (in US Dollars and using Imperial units) just under $9.00/gal. The average price in the US is around $3.00/gal. Now, here's where it gets interesting--because Europeans pay more for gas, they drive less and use other means of transportation on a day-to-day basis. Btw. as a percentage of the price of a gallon of gas, our taxes are *far* lower than in Europe--the breakdown in Europe is around 70/30 (so the first 70% of the cost of a gallon of gas is taxes and the other 30% is the base price).

As far as where the money goes, it *should* be going to maintain the interstate highway system and local roads--that's not necessarily where the money ends up, particularly in the latter case. As far as being gouged at the pump? No, I don't because I'm well aware that just across the pond the $3.05/gal I pay for premium (no way would I put anything less than premium in my car) would cost me 3 or 4 times as much. Actually, I would like to see the United States ratchet up the price of gas with the extra funds raised going to fund public transportation and/or basic research to get us off of oil.

I feel sorry for those in states that demand so much in taxes for gas,
just for the luxury of driving where you want or need to go.

I don't. We Americans are far too dependent upon our cars and have made a very uncomfortable and spiky bed to lay in. It didn't *have* to be this way and it doesn't *have* to continue to be this way. The thing is, we keep putting off the day of reckoning, bargaining for one more year, six more months, one more day of getting in the car and driving the three blocks to get some milk instead of walking or riding a bike. Since it is clear we cannot legislate anything in this country any longer, the only thing that seems to work are market-pressures so the market will have to be the mechanism that forces Americans to give up our car-centric lifestyles.

Cheers
Aj