Gasoline tops $2 a gallon, nationwide

[southsider2k5]

http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/18/pf/autos/g...dex.htm?cnn=yes

[Texsox]

And they said George W wasn't helping the economy.

[southsider2k5]

And they said George W wasn't helping the economy.

The sad thing is that this is going a long way towards helping states balance their budgets. Remember when you buy gas, you are also paying sales taxes on it. And with gas being 25-30% more expensive, and there being very little change in buying habits, all of that money is going to your respective states. That is a dirty little secret your governors probably aren't telling you as they take credit for balancing their budgets.

[kapkomet]

I never even thought about that. Interesting observation. And... that is part of the reason that no one at the government level is b****ing.

[Texsox]

The sad thing is that this is going a long way towards helping states balance their budgets.  Remember when you buy gas, you are also paying sales taxes on it.  And with gas being 25-30% more expensive, and there being very little change in buying habits, all of that money is going to your respective states.  That is a dirty little secret your governors probably aren't telling you as they take credit for balancing their budgets.

I believe, at least in some states, gasoline is a flat tax, regardless of price. As in .04 per gallon for local roads, .10 per gallon for the general budget, etc. not a percentage like sales taxes.

[southsider2k5]

I believe, at least in some states, gasoline is a flat tax, regardless of price. As in .04 for local roads, .10 for the general budget, etc. not a percentage like sales taxes.

You are partially right. There are both. States and the national government have a flat tax per gallon, PLUS you pay state sales taxes on your purchase.

[Texsox]

You are partially right.  There are both.  States and the national government have a flat tax per gallon, PLUS you pay state sales taxes on your purchase.

These public service announcements were brought to you by:

 

Teammates for Accurate Information SS2k4 and TexSox

[southsider2k5]

These public service announcements were brought to you by:

 

Teammates for Accurate Information SS2k4 and TexSox 

BTW, I went and looked it up, it is exsise taxes. It is the samething they do on alcohol and cigs as well.

[Texsox]

BTW, I went and looked it up, it is exsise taxes.  It is the samething they do on alcohol and cigs as well.

In some states, I've been told, it is illegal to advertise at the pump how much is tax and how much is the gasoline.

[southsider2k5]

In some states, I've been told, it is illegal to advertise at the pump how much is tax and how much is the gasoline.

It might be. On a state-by-state basis, I have no idea.

[kapkomet]

I've seen several places where it has the sticker on there for Federal tax amount = xx.x cents.

 

But I haven't seen the breakout on state taxes. Now I know why.

 

So let me get this straight. Gas is .80 cents a gallon cost. And they charge an excise tax of x.x%, right?

 

And then gas goes up to 1.20 cost. And they still get to charge x.x%? What a freakin' deal!!!!

[southsider2k5]

I've seen several places where it has the sticker on there for Federal tax amount = xx.x cents.

 

But I haven't seen the breakout on state taxes.  Now I know why.

 

So let me get this straight.  Gas is .80 cents a gallon cost.  And they charge an excise tax of x.x%, right?

 

And then gas goes up to 1.20 cost.  And they still get to charge x.x%?  What a freakin' deal!!!!

I did find this chart. So yeah, like for me in Indiana we have 18.1 cents per gallon going to the state of IN right away, plus fed taxes, plus the cost of the gas, plus 6% in sales taxes. Nice scam, huh.

 

http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/statisti...state_2002.html

[Be Good]

I wish it was 2 bucks here in NY...The average for Regular is 2.25.

[Spiff]

I think also the purpose of the taxes is to get people to use less of it.

[moochpuppy]

Just got on the waiting list for a Toyota Prius.

[The Critic]

Just got on the waiting list for a Toyota Prius.

Even though I understand the money involved in the oil industry, I'm still stunned that 30 years after that awful oil "shortage" in the 70s with lines at gas stations that stretched for miles, we STILL haven't mass-produced hybrid or electric cars to the degree that we should have.

 

It simply amazes me that the US willingly allows itself to remain at the mercy of the oil-producing countries to the level that we are.

[kapkomet]

Even though I understand the money involved in the oil industry, I'm still stunned that 30 years after that awful oil "shortage" in the 70s with lines at gas stations that stretched for miles, we STILL haven't mass-produced hybrid or electric cars to the degree that we should have.

 

It simply amazes me that the US willingly allows itself to remain at the mercy of the oil-producing countries to the level that we are.

Talk to your buddies in Detroit who have been sitting on the patents of these hybrid cars for YEARS. Also, the steel indsutry, the oil industry, the auto industry, they all have a hand at keeping things just the way they are...

[JUGGERNAUT]

:fyou oil companies! This is the biggest open range of BS I've ever heard.

Supply is actually greater then it's ever been. Check out the DISCOVER mag site & check out some of the articles on supply. GW2 has not once demonstrated a single threat to an oil supply. The refinery argument is garbage. I looked that up. If that was the case than the refineries would be at 100% util or there would be delays in delivery. Neither case is happening.

 

This is all about the oil companies (& their buddies in OPEC) using any pc of news to jack the price. In 2010 demand will exceed supply. That's a certain based on the growth of oil usage around the world. When that happens nations will go to war over supplies if it's still the worlds #1 source for energy. It's not all about automobiles. Many nations use oil & gas to provide electricity as well. But that's 6 yrs away & the US is likely to be less dependant when that time occurs.

 

The bottom line is this: EXXON-Mobil had a 21 BILLION profit in 2003. That didn't come from any new advances in production or distribution of oil & gas. It came from jacking prices. Most states have flat oil taxes but % based sales taxes. You pay both when filing up. That's the short-term gain. The long-term gain comes from price inflation which eventually follows jacked up prices.

 

The govt is part of the problem. If they want to gauge the American people at the pump that's one thing. But to do it to the industries that provide the transportation of goods in America is quite another. Why don't they do something to stem the tide of inflation?

[BrandoFan]

Never got the outrage over gas prices.

 

Drive less, walk/transit more.

 

Even if you're forced to "overpay" - it's not as if your savings are down the drain and the house will be Repo'd. At the end of the day, you'll be just a bit less wealthy, poor you.

 

[Queen Prawn]

Working as far away as I do, walking and public trans are completely out of the question (public trans would require 2-3 hrs there and 2-3 hrs back plus a good bit more money that it costs to drive).

 

If they could tell me why it is going up then maybe it wouldn't bother me as much.

 

EDIT: At $28 a fill up, it will cost me about $180 a month in gas. It stings after awhile especially when there doesn't seem to be a clear cut reason why.

[Texsox]

Never got the outrage over gas prices.

 

Drive less, walk/transit more.   

 

Even if you're forced to "overpay" - it's not as if your savings are down the drain and the house will be Repo'd.    At the end of the day, you'll be just a bit less wealthy, poor you. 

 

Brando, you've spent some time overseas and have a much different perspective. The US has always enjoyed much lower prices then the rest of the world.

[Queen Prawn]

Brando, you've spent some time overseas and have a much different perspective. The US has always enjoyed much lower prices then the rest of the world.

Exactly why I can't whine to my father. He's always telling me how expensive it is in Ireland, and Europe in general.

[kapkomet]

Exactly why I can't whine to my father.  He's always telling me how expensive it is in Ireland, and Europe in general.

We ARE spoiled over here on that front. We're finally getting to where we're paying 50% of what the rest of the world is paying.

[Chisoxfn]

The gas tax is one of the fairest taxes of all time. The more you drive the more you pay into it and therefor you spend more money on road improvements and since u use the roads more thats a good thing.

 

The flaw is, now a lot of states are pulling a good amount of the money they get from the gas tax and are putting it into other programs, which pisses me off.

 

If they want to make me pay high gas prices, then I expect badass freeways with no traffic and good infastructure and what not. Plus having less traffic on the roads will help an economy because it means your more productive...ie not sitting in your car for 45 minutes to and from someplace that normally would take 10 minutes.