Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Lee
Because the government has a vested interest in petrol sales (huuuuge money maker for them via taxes) ...
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I agree. I saw news items a few years ago on this, when gasoline sales dropped somewhat due to shockingly high gas prices (around $4/gallon in the US, same as we have now!). Some state governments were concerned that any REDUCTIONS in fuel sales would seriously impact the tax revenues, impacting not only highway and bridge maintenance but potentially the overall state budget.
Anyway, Frank Lee is not the only one saying or implying that higher gas prices would get consumers to find ways to cut back fuel use.
Personally, I don't have a problem with taxes, as long as we don't have "taxation without representation". In this country, we citizens "own" the government. We are responsible for it, and we fund it. I think a lot of us have to get over the idea that anything the govt does that we personally didn't ask for or benefit from is waste. That's just being selfish.