February 9, 201610 yr We all know there is a major transportation infrastructure crisis in this nation. Our roads and bridges are falling apart and there isn't enough money to fix them. Obama is proposing a $10.25 a barrel tax on oil to raise the money to fix our infrastructure. Thoughts?
February 9, 201610 yr What does that amount to at the pump? Hard to say with the speculators but it would drive it back to $2 right now, about 40 cents give or take. The real problem is once it gets back to 70-80 per barrel, the tax moves it to 90 per barrel.
February 9, 201610 yr What other options are there besides higher taxes at the pump or tolls on roads and bridges?
February 9, 201610 yr Author I wonder why you would put a tax on a barrel of oil versus putting a tax on gas at the pump. I believe Obama wants to do it that way for his environmental agenda.
February 9, 201610 yr I'd be okay with this tax regardless of the prices at the pump as they stand now. We are in debt in this country and that keeps growing day by day and we don't have the funds to pay for everything. Either that means they have to raise taxes in existing places or.... find a new revenue source like this one.
February 9, 201610 yr What other options are there besides higher taxes at the pump or tolls on roads and bridges? Collapse?
February 9, 201610 yr Concept - OK. Implementation - not OK. Road funding is probably at cricis level. But taxing the intermediate component is a backdoor VAT. So far VAT, and certainlky VAT coupled with a tax on the end product has not been accepted here. And having the Federal level in charge is not good. Remember, the stimulas package was supposed to fix a lot of this. That money was in now way 'invested'. States need to suck up the political issue and raise taxes at state level. But they have their problems as well. Instead of having contractors build roads to last 20 years, as in Europe. They last only 2. Then, the politications can give away the mainteance contracts to repair them every 2 or 3 years to their donors. Sigh.
February 10, 201610 yr I wouldn't mind paying a bit more for gas if it means I don't have to be on a bridge that collapses. I don't believe the price of oil is simply supply/demand. I think there are people who manipulate it.
February 10, 201610 yr I wonder why you would put a tax on a barrel of oil versus putting a tax on gas at the pump. I believe Obama wants to do it that way for his environmental agenda. Of course Obama wants a carbon tax. All of the gas you burn and energy you burn heating your house, you get away with for free, no penalty. Bill will be dead on arrival in the house.
February 10, 201610 yr States need to suck up the political issue and raise taxes at state level. But they have their problems as well. Instead of having contractors build roads to last 20 years, as in Europe. They last only 2. Then, the politications can give away the mainteance contracts to repair them every 2 or 3 years to their donors. Sigh. I am confused by this segment of your post? Are you saying this is how it presently is, or are you saying it will be like this if Obama's plan comes to fruition? Edited February 10, 201610 yr by bugatti
February 10, 201610 yr At current gasoline prices most wouldn't get too worked up over this tax. But look back a few years to when gasoline was closing in on $4 a gallon...that extra 40-50cents would really cripple a lot of people. Fuel prices being down have led to a little financial breathing room for those families living check to check or near that level. There is already an .18 cent Federal Fuel Tax which is supposed to be used for road and bridge construction and improvements. There is an additional .26 cent KY State Fuel Tax which is also supposed to go to road and bridge construction. The National Average is around .30 cents per gallon. One problem is that the Federal Rate has been the same since 1983...I would rather see an increase in gasoline taxes than an oil tax would raise the price of oil from 25 to 35% at current prices. If Oil goes up that much it will be passed on to the consumer at the same rate ...not just a few cents on the dollar.
February 10, 201610 yr At current gasoline prices most wouldn't get too worked up over this tax. But look back a few years to when gasoline was closing in on $4 a gallon...that extra 40-50cents would really cripple a lot of people. Fuel prices being down have led to a little financial breathing room for those families living check to check or near that level. There is already an .18 cent Federal Fuel Tax which is supposed to be used for road and bridge construction and improvements. There is an additional .26 cent KY State Fuel Tax which is also supposed to go to road and bridge construction. The National Average is around .30 cents per gallon. One problem is that the Federal Rate has been the same since 1983...I would rather see an increase in gasoline taxes than an oil tax would raise the price of oil from 25 to 35% at current prices. If Oil goes up that much it will be passed on to the consumer at the same rate ...not just a few cents on the dollar. Nobody will pass a pump tax, gas prices are too volatile. Obama is trying to do it the politically correct way, greenhouse taxing us.
February 10, 201610 yr Nobody will pass a pump tax, gas prices are too volatile. Obama is trying to do it the politically correct way, greenhouse taxing us. I have no problem with the taxes going up a reasonable amount, I don't think a (VAT) Oil Tax is the way to do it.
February 10, 201610 yr I am confused by this segment of your post? Are you saying this is how it presently is, or are you saying it will be like this if Obama's plan comes to fruition? Sorry, meant to say that instead of Obama's plan state legislators should get ahead of the issue and raise the state tax on gasoline and control the funding of their road needs. States can raise state gasoline taxes on their own and that is better than being beholding to the Federal monster.
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