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The latest fiscal cliff idea: a higher federal gas tax. State highway officials and industries...

  • Friday, November 23, 2012, 11:31 AM ET
    The latest fiscal cliff idea: a higher federal gas tax. State highway officials and industries that stand to benefit from increased highway spending such as road builders and heavy equipment makers are among those pressing lawmakers to raise the 18.4-cent-a-gallon federal gasoline tax as part of a broad agreement. It's just one of a grab bag of proposals various groups are trying to tuck into a deal.
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This news story has 15 comments:

  •  
    Gas prices are way to high as it is...
    23 Nov 2012, 11:32 AM Reply Like
  •  
    So part of the solution is to make the "fiscal cliff" even higher?

    Only govt could twist logic like this and turn higher gas prices into a positive.
    23 Nov 2012, 11:34 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Raising the gax tax is an excellent idea. It is clear that we need both increased revenue AND reduced spending to right our sinking fiscal ship. We should do what our lawmakers are so reluctant to do and focus on consumption-oriented taxes.

    In comparision to European countries, gasoline taxes in the US are a drop in the bucket.

    This is an idea that should be supported!
    23 Nov 2012, 11:36 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Agree with mlfoster here. Gasoline has been too cheap too long. Put aside childish greed; higher taxes are necessary, reducing gasoline consumption is beneficial, so this is a win-win. Put in place a long-term program of steadily increasing gasoline taxes, and soon we will see natural-gas begin to replace gasoline as motor fuel, with tremendous long-term benefits.
    23 Nov 2012, 11:48 AM Reply Like
  •  
    mlfoster wrote:

    "In comparision to European countries, gasoline taxes in the US are a drop in the bucket."

    that's right, it's obvious, given europe's outstanding economic success, that the USA should follow them on tax policy
    24 Nov 2012, 10:16 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Gasoline taxes are low, more money is needed to support new roads and improve drive times from A to B.
    23 Nov 2012, 11:39 AM Reply Like
  •  
    New gas taxes will go to pay endless entitlements, not roads, just as they are confiscated for non-infrastructure use, now.
    23 Nov 2012, 11:42 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Tax cuts will-do go to borrow trillions for more tax cuts for families with billions.
    23 Nov 2012, 11:55 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Huh?
    23 Nov 2012, 01:30 PM Reply Like
  •  
    It is a fact of life that both spending will have to be cut, and some taxes raised.

    I would prefer gas and other consumption taxes over income and corporate tax increases - they only hit the users of those products.

    Fight Fat - Raise sugar taxes :)
    23 Nov 2012, 11:53 AM Reply Like
  •  
    Damn right mlfoster...gas prices are way too low in the USA compared to other countries. Higher gas tax will serve to support domestic fuels (electricity, Nat gas) to power the vehicles of tomorrow. No more imported oil! 70% of US oil use is for gasoline production! A higher gas tax will be better for the country in the long run.
    23 Nov 2012, 11:56 AM Reply Like
  •  
    The US is an exporter of gasoline:

    http://bit.ly/TTHBhz

    US production of oil is increasing.

    http://bit.ly/TkK5ZZ
    23 Nov 2012, 01:38 PM Reply Like
  •  
    "The US is an exporter of gasoline:"

    OK, so? We import crude oil, and export a portion of the refined products. Not sure what that has to do with a domestic tax on gasoline consumption.

    "US production of oil is increasing."

    Again, so what? Oil production is increasing because the price has gone up, and producers are relatively confident the floor price is high enough to justify the investment. (One of the things that would encourage domestic production even more, is putting a firm floor on oil prices, so producers knew what their downside risk limit was. But I digress.) What does that have to do with a domestic gasoline tax? I doubt such a tax would significantly affect the price of crude oil.
    23 Nov 2012, 06:34 PM Reply Like
  •  
    Gas prices are regressive and hurt low income people worst of all.
    23 Nov 2012, 12:11 PM Reply Like
  •  
    I must have missed something in economics class. Take more money from the private sector to increase jobs and growth in the private sector ? Growth of the private sector is the only thing that will ever get any economy humming along. Can anyone name one instance socialist attempts to put a chicken in every pot has been sucessful.
    I guess history will just keep repeating this senerio. By the time every generation learns this never works they always find themselves in need of government bail outs
    23 Nov 2012, 01:37 PM Reply Like
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