Originally posted by sigma:
Quote:

I am dumbfounded that you can sit there and repeatedly throw out that $15 figure as a burden applying equally to all citizens.



When did I ever say that it would be the same for everyone. I said that I would pay $15 more. I never said you would. So pull your head out of your own ass.


Your repitition of this figure infers that you think it applies equally; perhaps that's my fault in gauging your opinion of the situation.

Originally posted by sigma:
Drastically higher?

I want to see your math on this.

Even if you drove a whopping 3,000 miles per month at an average of 25MPG you would still only pay $30/month for a 25/c tax increase.

Yeah, that's sooooo drastic. A whole $15 more.


$15--now $30 IS a drastic increase for a person living on the margins. A fixed amount tax like cents/gallon always penalizes lower income people the most, the very people with the least amount of disposable income to absorb such an increase. Tax them to the point that they can't afford to drive to work all for the sake of better highways; sorry, not in agreement on that one.

Originally posted by sigma:
EDIT: And yes, every state is different. My figures are for my state. I never advocated "doubling" specifically across the board, only to a specific 25 cent increase -- that just so happens to be about double what we pay in Texas, which is why I said "double" in the specific quote that you posted.


And in my state they already tax food, prescription drugs, and income as low as ~$5k, which is why I am so sensitive to yet another disproportionate tax. I don't consider myself a liberal but enough is enough for these folks.

Originally posted by sigma:
Doubling in CA would be way too much of an increase, as their taxes are already very appropriate, which is why they have a great highway system and a rapidly developing alternative transportation infrastructure.


IMO you cannot tax life critical consumable like gasoline solely for the purposes of developing an alternative transportation system when a majority of the taxpayers will receive no benefit.

-- 1999 SVT #220 -- In retrospect, it was all downhill from here. RIP, CEG.