Teabaggers next target - End the Federal Gasoline Tax

[liberal N proud]

The teabaggers are out to kill the government one dollar at a time. The federal gasoline tax is their next target:


Gas tax may be next Tea Party target

Fresh from blocking any new tax increases during the debt ceiling debacle, some lawmakers in Congress may now oppose renewing the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel, which is used to maintain our nations highways.

The federal gas tax of 18.4 cents a gallon expires at the end of September. In order to keep the gas tax, lawmakers would need to vote to extend the highway funding bill, which is what the gas tax is tied to.

There are no official efforts to scrap the tax yet but as first noted in the journal Politco, momentum appears to be moving in that direction.

A bill was recently introduced by Senate Republicans that would allow states to opt out of the federal highway program. The highway program uses $32 billion each year collected by the gas tax, plus a handful of smaller fees and some borrowing to distribute some $50 billion a year to the states for road construction, maintenance and mass transit projects.

That represents about 28% of all road and transit spending nationwide, with the rest coming from states or towns in the form of tolls, registration and user fees, state gas taxes or their general funds.

Forgot link: http://money.cnn.com/2011/08/04/news/economy/gas-tax/


If this were to happen, the average driver would save $100 per year. But you will more than make up for that in repairs to your car driving on worn out roads.

[CatholicEdHead]

1. Toll roads, toll roads, toll roads

Very shortsighted. They probably feel roads should be privatized to be better maintained.

[Shagbark Hickory]

3. Obviously.

Of course they'll want to bilk people for a lot more in tolls than what the gas tax amounts to. The execs of the private companies have to get paid you know.

[high density]

5. Every time I see a Ron Paul bumpersticker on vehicle putting down a local street...

...I wonder how the driver can stand using such a socialistic infrastructure.

[xoom]

8. where else will he drive?

[BrightKnight]

15. How is getting your roads from Rent-A-Center fiscally responsible?

It smells like corruption.

[Shagbark Hickory]

2. Well then everyone should just outfit their vehicle for offroading.

Instead of highways we can just get around on offroad trails.
It'll be fun!

[RKP5637]

4. Yep, and we can use rope bridges too! I like them! n/t

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. The fleabaggers are at it again.... no holes barred, especially potholes. n/t

[bluedigger]

7. Guess it's time for another one of these:

I used to have that on the back of my old Jeep. Guess I need another for my "new" Jeep.

[Viking12]

9. The gas tax should be >$1/gallon

[Cobalt Violet]

10. That's ok, they will just cut the safety net to make up the difference.

Problem solved.

[liberal N proud]

12. I think their theory is that the states should be handling it

and the roads belong to the states.

[Cool Logic]

11. Actually, taxes on gasoline are an example of how a tax is supposed to work...

or perhaps I should say "should work." I have no doubt that $$$ collected from gasoline taxes end up being spent on things other than transportation infrastructure.

In any case, the logic is sound. Individuals and companies who benefit from our transportation infrastructure should pay for it.

[customerserviceguy]

18. Yes, gas taxes are user fees

But expect the tea party to focus on the "federal control" issue of it. With Federal highway funding comes mandates to do all kinds of things, from seat belt requirements to drinking age/limit laws.

Clearly, some small states send way more in taxes than they get back in spending, I would expect the tea party to concentrate on congresscritters from those places first. The irony is that the spacious Western states with small populations will eventually have the worst roads if the baggers get their way.

[Cool Logic]

19. I imagine that money does come wrapped up in an array of heavy-duty red-tape,

Still, if it were me, I would take the money anyway. And then, I'd ask them where the rest of it was. Subsequently, I would carefully unwrap it and return the undamaged red tape.

[JoeyT]

20. I imagine the south are paying in less than they're getting back as well.

And we've already got some of the shittiest roads in the country. Any less spent on infrastructure and we'll end up with dirt highways.

[Cool Logic]

21. The $#!ttiest roads in the country are not in the South, they are in Rhode Island...

#2 California
#3 Pennsylvania (They must have improved since last time I drove through)
#4 New York
#5 New Jersey

http://www.businessinsider.com/worst-state-road-systems-2010-7#1-rhode-island-10

[customerserviceguy]

22. I can vouch for #'s 4 and 5 on that list

With Jersey, there's a low gas tax. New York just can't make that excuse. I think the money is simply wasted. Here, I see often see one guy working for every 4-5 standing around on a road crew. Out in the Pacific Northwest, it used to be one worker for every 2-3 standarounds.

[tularetom]

13. There is nothing fairer than gas taxes

Any alternative means of financing road construction and maintenance would be regressive.

But it might force more use of rail transportation and reduce the number of heavy trucks on our highways and bridges.

[BrightKnight]

14. ...and the tooth fairy will pay to maintain the roads. - n/t

[Old and In the Way]

16. We don't need no stinkin' roads...!

How about we charge Big Oil for our security service that we currently supply at n/c (thanks USN/USAF/USA/USMC!)...allowing them to get their product from the ME to the world markets? I'm sure the free marketeers will agree with me. I think a $250BB bill would be about right. Let them try to pass that on to the consumer and see how fast we develop alternative transportation options. We can use payment to putting people to work building/installing/maintaining decentralized, alternative energy.

[TheCowsCameHome]

17. Wow.... $100 savings. That's pretty convincing.

Now I KNOW those freakin' idiots are out of their minds.

[47of74]

23. This latest move by the Tea Klux Klan doesn't surprise me.