Georgia governor plans to lift state gas tax for rest of the month

AP Wires | 9-2-2005 | AP Wire

[Thanatos]

Georgia governor plans to lift state gas tax for rest of the month

Eds: Moving on general news and financial services.

By DICK PETTYS Associated Press Writer

ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said he will sign an executive order Friday that will exempt consumers from state motor fuel taxes through the end of September to "relieve some of the financial burden" in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

The order will remove the 7.5-cents-a-gallon tax and a 4 percent sales tax on gas, the governor said, and was set to begin at midnight.

The move comes as gasoline in some parts of the country has risen well above $3 a gallon.

[southlake_hoosier]

here we go again

[Quick Shot]

The Governor is right and your assumption is wrong. you missed the big point. If the "record profit" gas company can make more money in GA then there will be much more supply in GA. The problems of shortages will be in the surrounding states, until they cut there taxes.

In economics the golden rule is there is no good tax. Just some are not as bad as others.

[Texas_Conservative2]

finally!

[numberonepal]

Why do people think the laws of economics can be wiped out by the stroke of a pen?

I, for one, whole heartedly believe that the less government has to do with nearly anything, the better off we all are.

[Reagan Disciple]

I don't think some can make the distinction between the effect of lowering taxes on earnings in times of economic crisis (Reagan in 1981 - very good) and lowering taxes on a strained commodity (this tax cut now - bad).

As horrible as your suggestion is on the surface, it is right on the money.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Last night it was 2.96 here...I'll see what it is when I get out later

[Lurking in Kansas]

Gas around here is $3.30ish. I live in a suburb of Atlanta.

My bad, I was under the impression it was a lot higher in GA. (That's what I get for watching MSM, d'oh)

I paid $3.32 last night here in Kansas --and it went up .20 overnight.

[Sloth]

BAD idea. High prices are needed to prevent shortages.

[Quick Shot]

Reagon should be all worked up in heaven. Listen to yourselves, the solution is more taxes. Your wrong, wrong, wrong...

Get the government out of the way and let free enterprise take care this. This is the only efficient method known to man.

Stop this lunacy....

[Sloth]

If he'd repealed gas taxes last year (permanently), that'd be great. Doing it NOW, on the verge of a gas SHORTAGE, is stupid.

[Thanatos]

"Wonder when Pres. Bush will do the same for the much-higher federal gas tax? That would be much appreciated by everyone in the next 60 days. We could zero out FEMA to offset the cut."

This is a common misconception, perpetrated by left-winger's who have never read out US Constitution..

Only Congress can regulate Commerce, and only Congress can Levy Taxes or Revoke Taxes. The President (Executive Branch) and the Judicial Branch's of our goverment are completely powerless when it comes to removing taxes..

The Georgia Governor HAS the ability to suspend Gasoline Taxes because the Legislature gave him the authority to when they wrote the law that put the taxes on gasoline in the 1st place.. The US Congress, on the other hand, did not give anyone the power to suspend taxes except to themselves.

[Gabz]

Suspend the sales tax as well.

With that said - I do agree with others who are saying it is not going to make much of a difference - just increase demand on already diminishing supplies.

and with that said.........this will show if he's a man or a mouse about what consititutes "an emergency"

[mvpel]

We had some real major price instability here in New Hampshire - stations down the road from one another had 20, 30, and 40-cent differences in price. I had to fill my motorcycle yesterday, and got four gallons of 93 octane at $3.09⁹, while the normally-cheap place just half a mile away was $3.45⁹, another station was asking $3.18⁹, and the Mobil station a half mile up from there had no premium or mid-grade gasoline left in its tanks and a posted price of $3.18⁹.

It'll probably take a day or two more for the price variations to level off. The current high price is in Manchester at $3.41⁹ for regular unleaded.

See http://www.newhampshiregasprices.com/ for details.

[HOYA97]

Thank God Almighty I moved to Georgia two years ago!!!!

[Corin Stormhands]

I just welcome the opportunity to cause him some grief.

[weegee]

That doesn't offer much relief unless they are going to police the pricing at gas stations. Some store owners are gouging customers.

[VeniVidiVici]

I can't believe all the states that have sales tax in addition to a "cents per gallon" tax on gasoline.

http://www.gaspricewatch.com/usgastaxes.asp

*This* is why Georgia prices are higher than Floridas nowadays.

It's also the government version of price gouging. They have no incentive to get the price per gallon lower when they are now profiting from the increased price thru a sales tax.

[HOYA97]

I'm in Suwanee too!

[Adam-ondi-Ahman]

The Governor is right and your assumption is wrong. you missed the big point. If the "record profit" gas company can make more money in GA then there will be much more supply in GA. The problems of shortages will be in the surrounding states, until they cut there taxes.

In economics the golden rule is there is no good tax. Just some are not as bad as others.

Ok, Quick Shot, I'll give you that. I'm all for reduced taxes, though some are necessary for public goods. What some of us foresee is that the desired results won't happen. Prices will be just as high, just that the private sector will have the money. True, it will allow new supplies from other areas to come in, but overall in this country we have a lower supply than we had prior to Katrina (unless we import, but that will be more expensive since the gas companies overseas can sell their gas for more in Europe than here).

[HOYA97]

TOMORROW (9/3/05)...from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. items will be accepted at the DoubleTree Hotel in Roswell (behind the hotel). Volunteers are also needed to assist.

Due to the recent damages in Louisiana caused my Hurricane Katrina, Coastal Moving & Storage has volunteered to dispatch their Trucks to transport donated items such as those listed below for the victims who have either had major damages to their homes or have completely lost their homes. These trucks will be met in Louisiana by the Red Cross.

Water, Non Perishable Food Items, Baby Items, OTC Drugs, Cleaning Supplies, Toiletries, Feminine Supplies, Paper Products, Linen Items, First Aid Supplies, Batteries, Flashlights, etc.

Any donations that you can make to help those in need would be greatly appreciated. DoubleTree Hotel Atlanta/Roswell, located at 1075 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, has agreed to be a drop location for this effort. The Coastal Moving truck will pick up donations behind the hotel on Friday, 9/2/05 from 8am-10am and Saturday from 4p-6p. Volunteers are also needed to help load the trucks.