This isn't possible. If you are saving lots of money, and even the lowest paid workers are saving some money, how is it a net zero? If you're making money, someone else has to be losing on the deal.
The people who could theoretically lose would be people whose payroll tax is currently capped (I think it is capped at $90,000). If they choose to drive a Hummer that gets 10 MPG, they would end up paying more in gas tax than they currently do in payroll tax.
Good point - it seems to hurt three classes of people: 1. The wealthy (as you described) 2. The unemployed 3. Truckers and others who are forced to have long commutes outside of their control
We actually don't know who all will be hurt and to what degree. I see the following statement: "Every dollar raised by the gas tax would be sent back to Americans through a cut in the payroll tax, higher Social Security checks or some other measure." Based on 21,000 miles per year driving and 25 MPG, I would pay $840 in the gas tax. There is nothing in the above statement that says I (personally) will get back $840 in payroll tax. As I read that statement, my $840 MAY go to higher SS checks without seeing a dollar for dollar reduction in my (personal) payroll tax.
Energy companies like everyone else with a captive market will always try to maximize their profits but as you note that doesn't mean conservation isn't a good idea. If CenterPoint is going to keep on trying to jack up prices while people are conserving people will conserve more and also going to start pushing for more alternative energy sources than what CenterPoint is providing. CenterPoint can only try to jack up prices so much before there is a major backlash. Really? I don't know about Lakeville but the last times I was shopping retail prices were definately down and practically everything was on sale.
Groceries are still the same. Milk is more. Some items may be the same cost, but are in smaller packages (e.g. ice cream). I used to always find cokes on sale for 4 12 packs for $10.00. Now it is generally 3 for $9.00. Levis are still $30 - $35 a pair. Shoes cost the same. Department stores still run their usual sales, but the sales price isn't any cheaper than last year at this time and regular prices aren't cheaper. Restaurant costs are the same. My utility bills have not gone down. iPods are the same price. Movie prices continue to go up. CDs, DVDs, video games, computer software haven't gone down (except you can now find Blu-Ray discs at lower prices). I've done some casual looking at new cars and the current deals don't seem any better than what was available last February.
Food prices seem about the same but those seem less sensitive to economic swings than other things. I bought a pair of levis about a month ago for less than $20 and saw some great deals on shoes. You should do your shopping up at Rosedale. I don't know about Ipods but the price of Iphones keeps on dropping. I've seen some great deals on CD's and DVD's and even some good deals on computer software. Computer hardware prices keep on dropping and memory is almost free. I'm not in the market for a new car but it definately seems like there are a lot of deals.
You can always find deals, but the regular price and frequency of sales seem to be the same. Computer hardware and memory generally always drop, regardless of the economy. And if you can refer me to a store that sells Levis 560s for less than $25, I'd appreciate it.
That makes zero sense. I have a right to pay what the market dictates. Just continue the payroll taxes. Don't sin tax my right to go to work, and visit my friends and family any more than they already do.
My gallon of milk yesterday was $2.98. It used to be about $4.50 at the same store. Other grocery costs have increase on me though. Ground Beef being a big one for me.
I will never cease marveling at people who think that "the market" is always perfectly efficient and finds the best outcomes on its own. It's like they went to the first week of Intro to Economics in college then dropped the class.
My point is you might not like the government limiting people's ability to travel, in this case by raising gas taxes, but there is no right to making travel affordable.
It's silly to connect payroll taxes with gas taxes. Maybe they should up the gas tax. Maybe they should lower the payroll tax. But there's no connections between the two. Why should fuel consumers pay disproportionately for payroll taxes? A gas tax makes sense to fund highways, infrastructure, transit, municipalities, even general state revenue and a whole bunch of other stuff. But doesn't have anything to do with payroll or social security. And it's not like the overall budget was otherwised balanced to begin with.
Increasing gas prices increases prices on EVERYTHING. How does this only affect certain people? As transporation prices rise, so does the price of all the products. Grocery prices rise, construction prices rise, airline prices rise, etc. Everybody feels it. Even infrastructure costs would rise. Concrete and steel prices rise dramatically when gas prices rise due to transport costs on both the supply and the install side cost all projects more, both public and private. Add $5 a yard for concrete, add $250 a per load of lumber, add $1 a bushel for corn, etc.
Totally agree - SS/Medicare need to be viable programs on their own merits. There's no reason to link that with the gas tax. What happens when we become more efficent and start using less gas (that's the goal of it) and that tax revenue drops?
What is the tax at right now, $0.18 I believe? Correct me if I'm wrong. A $1 is way too much, especially in hard times. I think a $.05 tax increase every 4 months for the next year would be fine.
There are a number of reasons why you should be taxed for driving. For example, I should have the right to breathe clean air. If you are driving your car a lot, you are cutting in to my right to do so and should have to pay for it.
Wow, a whopping 15 cent increase over the course of a year! That's really going to change the way people consume. In the past year, we've seen a lot of DAYS where the change in gas prices was larger than 15 cents.
