Gas Price

[mondeo]

All these extra taxes are dumb, and the worst are the proposals to install gps devices in cars to track miles and tax those who drive more. The plain old basic gas tax works just fine, you burn more fuel, you pay more in taxes. Very simple, don't get caught up in complicated tax scheme's that exist only because people are afraid to raise the gas tax.

This. I live less than 5 miles to work, about 3 to a major mall, grocery stores on my way either trip. Outside of skiing, I drive maybe 100 miles/week. Minus the times I bike to work. Obviously, skiing destroys my fuel consumption.

Efficiency doesn't matter on its own. Total consumption is the issue. Gas taxes are the answer. Or rather, energy taxes in general.

 

[mlctvt]

Moronic. So if you choose to buy a Hummer but only drive 50 miles a week, you're worse than someone who drives a Prius 200 miles a week just because of the size of your engine?

I agree it is moronic. The plain old per gallon gas tax works best ,the more fuel you burn the more you pay.
In Italy and some other countries they do both, high gas taxes plus a tax on the size of your engine. Probably why most households have just one car or no car at all just a scooter.

 

[deadheadskier]

Moronic. So if you choose to buy a Hummer but only drive 50 miles a week, you're worse than someone who drives a Prius 200 miles a week just because of the size of your engine?

Efficiency doesn't matter on its own. Total consumption is the issue. Gas taxes are the answer. Or rather, energy taxes in general.

How is it moronic if it discourages people from purchasing inefficient vehicles and manufacturers from making them?

You say total consumption is the issue. Wouldn't a 50 mpw driver use considerably less fuel driving a Prius instead of a Hummer?

I think no matter how much a person drives in a week, the overall goal should be getting people in the most fuel efficient vehicles as possible. It's transportation, not a toy. I say this knowing you have a 'toy' car.

 

[dmc]

I can't wait for the day when I can jump in some electric car - tell it where to go and let it drive me there while I read a book...

 

[tjf67]

And make sure the gas tax goes to highways and research, not pork.

Not that there's anything wrong with pork.

Bingo, until the gov can show us they can be responsible with our tax dollars I don't agree with any tax increases. Funny the solutions I c on here are all scewed to fit the lifestyle of the person presenting it.

Paying more for products to rise the middle class standard of living will no longer work. The horses r out of the barn,until the rest of the worlds middle class comes up we will just keep shifting production to the next underdeveloped country for our cheap products. Most people don't like how the middle class is living, however they r the same people that ship their money over seas to save a buck

 

[gmcunni]

saw $4.45 today in Stamford CT

 

[Nick]

I read the freakonomics blog fairly regularly, good stuff

Sent from my Thunderbolt via Tapatalk

 

[SkiFanE]

Well next time you buy some vegetables be sure to tell the person at the farm stand, thanks for ruining it for us.

For the sake of this ski forum:

Next time your at a ski resort, tell the cook preparing your food, thanks for ruining it for us.

Most of my friends who work in Stowe or other ski towns live 15-20 miles away from work because that's the closest place they can find affordable housing. Why? All the second home owners drive local real estate prices through the roof.

I should have put in a smilie, my comment came out wrong. I meant that the rural poor always seem to be the achilles heal in the argument of raising gas prices. Urban poor have better access to jobs and public transportation. But there is no solution for the rural poor, that depend on "cheap" gas to live.

 

[mondeo]

I think no matter how much a person drives in a week, the overall goal should be getting people in the most fuel efficient vehicles as possible. It's transportation, not a toy. I say this knowing you have a 'toy' car.

By that logic, we should also be encouraging people to stop skiing, stop taking vacations, stop doing anything fun if it consumes significant amounts of energy.

I don't see any difference between consuming more gas to have fun while driving and consuming more oil to have fun while skiing. And skiing far outweighs the additional energy consumption of driving a fun car.

 

[hammer]

saw $4.45 today in Stamford CT

Not surprised...

When I travel to NJ I do what I can to avoid getting gas in CT, it always seems that it is much more expensive there. Are the taxes in CT that much higher than in neighboring states?

 

[gmcunni]

Are the taxes in CT that much higher than in neighboring states?

yes

according to this (jan 1, 2011) we (CT) rank 4th in highest taxes. direct neighbor NY is #2 but if you are coming from NJ (48) Ct will look pretty bad.

http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/26079.html

 

[o3jeff]

yes

And should be going up....

 

[hammer]

Are the taxes in CT that much higher than in neighboring states?

yes

And should be going up....

Guess I'll continue driving right past CT gas stations...:razz:

 

[gmcunni]

Guess I'll continue driving right past CT gas stations...:razz:

which will result in tollbooths making a comeback. which will result in people avoiding the state all together and clogging local streets. which will result in . . .

 

[mondeo]

which will result in tollbooths making a comeback. which will result in people avoiding the state all together and clogging local streets. which will result in . . .

The end of the world?

 

[Glenn]

CT drives me insane. I could go on a political rant, but I'll hold back.

Yep, our gas tax is going up again. Here are two annoying aspects of the CT Gasoline Tax:

1) It goes to the "General Fund". The next time you hear an elected official saying our roads are in crappy shape, remember that the gas tax goes to the black hole of unaccountability: The General Fund. Put it where it belongs: For fixing the roads. For the amount of gas tax we pay here, the roads should be in prestine condition.

2) Gross receipts tax. Not only do we pay tax on each gallon of gasoline, we pay a a tax on the total sale of gasoline that each station sells. Our elected officials insist this tax is paid by the station owners; but anyone who even has the most basic understanding of how the world works knows the consumer foots the bill for this one.

 

[o3jeff]

1) It goes to the "General Fund". The next time you hear an elected official saying our roads are in crappy shape, remember that the gas tax goes to the black hole of unaccountability: The General Fund. Put it where it belongs: For fixing the roads. For the amount of gas tax we pay here, the roads should be in prestine condition.

Is that where all the casino monies goes to too?

 

[Black Phantom]

I can't wait for the day when I can jump in some electric car - tell it where to go and let it drive me there while I read a book...

You can do just that today. It is called Public Transportation. Not all fully electric (fueled by coal, wood, nuclear power). I guess you have to decide where you want to generate the energy. In an ICE or in a more remote area and have it delivered to you.

 

[dmc]

You can do just that today. It is called Public Transportation. Not all fully electric (fueled by coal, wood, nuclear power). I guess you have to decide where you want to generate the energy. In an ICE or in a more remote area and have it delivered to you.

I would love nothing more then to have a train near my house..

 

[Riverskier]

All this talk about gas prices... I use an average of 10 gallons a week and the extra $10 or $20 sucks, but I don't tend to notice it that much. I don't make a ton of money, and I suppose it causes me to spend less on other things, but again, I don't really notice. What kills me is heating oil! To some degree it is poor planning on my part, but coming up with $900 to fill the tanks is hard as it is. When that suddenly becomes $1500 that really takes it's toll on my budget.