Posted on 02/14/2018 6:06:57 PM PST by babble-on
President Donald Trump is reportedly open to raising the federal tax on gasoline and diesel by 25 cents to pay for the White House's infrastructure plan.
The current taxes, which have not been raised in nearly 25 years, are 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel.
At least some Republican lawmakers and many conservative groups are opposed to hiking the federal fuel levy.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnbc.com ...
As long as the money goes to roads, sure. It’s better than an income tax.
Any such tax is a mistake.
Those of us in CA are already paying a fortune, no more, please!
Fine with me.
On the pro side, it’s been a long time since it was increased last. The sums don’t pay for nearly as much road as they once did, because they haven’t increased with inflation, but the price of paving and building had. Also, better average gas mileage means that cars pay less tax per mile driven than ever. And we’d get some more roads built.
Cons: it’s a dang tax hike, a regressive one, that would make everything shipped by road more expensive and push up inflation rates, too. It would probably completely unwind the benefit of the recent tax cut for the middle class.
Not a real good idea with midterms coming up .
Explain why you feel that regressive is a bad thing.
I’m thinking politically it would be really awkward and unpopular with Republicans in congress. This was a John Kerry idea that the whole party hooted down in unison. Al Gore would like it, though. I can’t figure Trump out. I guess he just really wants his infrastructure plan, and this is one way to pay for it.
Nope.
Take it from the welfare of illegal aliens.
Sick of it.
“It would probably completely unwind the benefit of the recent tax cut for the middle class.”
It would cost me about $250 a year (avg $4/week increase).
My problem with a tax like this is that the money probably won’t be used for roads once the Trump Administration ends.
“On the pro side, it’s been a long time since it was increased last. The sums don’t pay for nearly as much road as they once did, because they haven’t increased with inflation, but the price of paving and building had.”
The entire Interstate system was built on a nickle a gallon tax.
Now we pay more than triple that just to fill potholes.
The “inflation” you speak of is just government overpaying pavers and road crews.
No thanks, Don. We’re not undertaxed. We’re overspent. Find something to cut, if you want more money for roads.
I don’t really, in general. But with all the political fighting over the middle class and lower middle class I would think Trump’s base might not love this. Plutocrats like us, we’ll barely notice it, right?
“according to multiple reports”
My problem with a tax like this is that the money probably won’t be used for roads once the Trump Administration ends.
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Right on!
yeah, not from the Donald’s mouth, you’re not wrong. Trial balloon with deniability? We;ll see if he tweets it.
“Nope.
Take it from the welfare of illegal aliens.
Sick of it.”
Agree.
Slap a .25 cent tariff on all chinese made cellphones.
Let them pay for it.
If the president continues his energy dominance successes he’ll save us much more .25 a gallon. If all of it, every dang penny, goes for real infrastructure and not some boondoggle like California high speed rail.
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