Posted on 06/04/2014 1:37:53 PM PDT by Kaslin
The Tax Foundation posted the following map of gasoline taxes.
The Tax Foundation says "Gas taxes are generally used to fund transportation infrastructure maintenance and new projects. While gas taxes are not a perfect user fee like tolls, they are generally more favorable than other taxes because they at least loosely connect the users of roads with the costs of enjoying them. However, some of our recent analysis shows that many states do not rely on gas taxes and tolls as much as they could, and instead fund substantial amounts of transportation from other sources like income and sales taxes."
Not That Simple
States with high gas taxes do not necessarily have lower taxes elsewhere. Illinois and California are certainly cases in point. Property taxes in Illinois are over $14,000 on something like a $500K home.
The Tax Foundation notes "rates shown do not include Federal excise taxes of 18.4 cents per gallon."
Nor do they include applicable sales taxes or local gas taxes or Cook County gasoline taxes.
Illinois also has "home rule" sales taxes for various locations within a county. For example, and in addition to special gasoline taxes in Cook County, the Illinois Department of Revenue Tax Bulletin shows that Cicero (in Cook County), has a sales tax of 9.75%, while Dolton (also in Cook County) has a sales tax of 8.75%.
Why Are Chicago Gas Prices So High?
Indiana radio station WBWZ 91.5 asks the question: Why Are Chicago Gas Prices So High?
Customers may also have a desire to blame gas station owners for the high price of gasoline. But Beth Mosher, spokeswoman for AAA Chicago Motor Club, says it’s not their fault.
“Everybody wants to take it out on their local gas station owner why these prices are so high,” Mosher said. “But the reality is when the prices are this high the profit margins for these gas stations are so thin, they are going to make more from a bag of doritos that they are selling you than they are the gas.”
Mosher says the final factor for high gasoline prices can be pinned on the tax man.
“First and foremost, we have to talk about the high taxes in Chicago,” she said. “About 70 cents on the gallon is what people pay in Chicago for gas taxes, really, really a high number, especially given the statewide average is 49 cents on the gallon.”
Our NW Indiana reporter bravely goes where no Hoosier (willingly) has gone before: a Chicago gas station.
Why are gas prices so high in Chicago?
Hosed at the Pump
An Illinois Policy Institute report "Hosed at the Pump" will put things in proper perspective.
That graphic is from August of 2012. Rest assured taxes are higher today.
And Illinois is one of only seven states that charge a sales tax at the gas pump!
The bottom line is Illinois may look like it #8 according to the Tax Foundation, but in reality Illinois, especially Chicago and Cook County, is near the top of the list.
Interactive map
http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-overview/industry-economics/fuel-taxes/gasoline-tax
April 2014 Summary Reports
http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-overview/industry-economics/~/media/Files/Statistics/state-motor-fuel-taxes-report-summary.pdf
State Motor Fuel Taxes by State
http://www.api.org/oil-and-natural-gas-overview/industry-economics/~/media/Files/Statistics/StateMotorFuel_OnePagers.pdf
It would be interesting to see all of the costs of gasoline. For example, how much of the cost is drilling, how much is refining, how much is transporting the gas, how much is the profit margin for the gas station. Overall, would be good to know how much the wholesale cost of gas is, vs. our retail price, and then how much the local gas station gets to keep as profit.
In my area, anecdotal evidence is that most gas stations are leased or operated by people not born in this country. I don’t know if there is any significance to that. Anecdotal evidence is also that profit margins are very slim, on the order of a nickel a gallon from what I’ve heard.
So if liberals want to bitch about somebody getting rich when gas prices spike, the person getting rich is not your local gas station operator.
If Californians knew how badly they were being ripped off by enviro-racketeering they would pitch the Democrats. But noooo, the RINOs are afraid of those issues.
See post 4.
The deception is each of the other catagories also includes significant taxes. The tax amount in the chart is only the taxes added to the finish product at the point of final sale.
Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update
http://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/
Thanks, that’s exactly what I was interested in.
You are right, there are hidden taxes in the costs of each category, which are passed along down the line.
Bottom line is that we consumers end up paying these taxes, indirectly, as part of the cost of gas. Or of any product we buy at retail, for that matter.
Spot Prices
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_spt_s1_d.htm
Don't forget the difference is not just profit. The end seller has to pay to transport the gasoline, run the store, pay the staff, pay the end taxes, etc.
The oil companies are the ones making all the money.It may cost them $30 a barrel to pump the oil out of the ground and transport it to the refinery, while the oil they have to BUY on the open market costs three times as much. As you can see, it is much more profitable to own the well.
Who has 85 octane gas? Sunoco used to have 86 octane, but most automobiles specify 87 or greater, and higher still from the leaded gas era.
You are dreaming of decades past. The oil companies are not making 200% profits in today's prices.
ExxonMobil for example,
profit kept from total revenue = 7.7%
taxes paid from total revenue = 21.7%
Government makes 3 times the money than this company does from the sales.
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/34088/000003408814000012/xom10k2013.htm
Ref page 36 & 53
Not the companies who have to buy crude on the open market. Do you think it costs them $95 a barrel to pump it out of the ground and transport it to the refineries?
Here in the Albuquerque metro area, regular unleaded is 85, mid-grade 87, then premium at 89. Of course, we're at anywhere from 5,000' to over 6,500' in altitude, so you don't need the higher octanes here. Even if the car states such.
bkmk
It is far more than just pumping cost. The new wells cost millions of dollars each. Multistage hydrofrack and miles long laterals are not cheap. For each barrel sold you also have to add in exploration cost. If they don’t replace each barrel sold with a new barrel of reserve, they are going out of business.
Show me the company you think can keep delivering oil and stay in business at $30/barrel.
Don't remember, but it was in Texas. The Chrysler Town & Country van, fully loaded, ran fine on it.
85 octane is common in our area. Kind of crazy,because most vehicles call for 87 & higher.
I hear this often (I retired from BP).
My reply is:
Buy stock in big oil! How could you go wrong if they are profiting like you think!
Go for it , get a piece of it!
“Gas taxes are generally used to...
line politician’s pockets.”
That’s better.
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