Editorials

OUR OPINION

May 10, 2008

‘Gas-tax holiday’ gets us no closer to a solution

POLITICIANS ARE CALLING it a “gas-tax holiday,” but it looks more like a vacation the nation can ill afford.

The plan being touted by presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and John McCain calls for the federal government to suspend the 18.4 cents it levies on a gallon of conventional gasoline and the 24.4 cents on diesel during the summer months.

Seemingly, any break consumers can get should be a good thing. With prices now around $3.65 a gallon – up 75 cents from a year ago – the pump handle at your favorite convenience store looks more like a stickup gun.

But the facts show there’s no “holiday” at all in this plan.

For starters, the tax money at stake goes into the Highway Trust Fund, which pays for bridge and road repairs.

Northeastern Pennsylvania motorists know all too well that money to fix our highway infrastructure is anything but plentiful now.

Heck, the state government wants to toll Interstate 80 because it can’t afford to repair the archaic bridges and aging infrastructure.

Federal legislation that shortchanges the trust fund essentially denies motorists needed road improvements. Quite simply, today’s crack in the road could be a bothersome pothole next fall and – left to the elements – next winter’s hazard.

Secondly, the money really doesn’t amount to that much for each taxpayer.

For example, Jane Go-to-Work’s round-trip daily commute from downtown Wilkes-Barre to the Tobyhanna Army Depot is 82 miles, meaning she drives about 410 miles weekly for work. Because her modest SUV gets 22 miles a gallon, she uses about 19 gallons just for commuting.

A gas-tax holiday will save her $4.60 a week for her rather long commute, assuming – and this is a big supposition here – the oil companies don’t take advantage.

For Johnny Go-to-Work, whose commute is to downtown Scranton, the weekly savings are less than the price of a Big Mac. He can clip a coupon or two from his favorite newspaper each week to reap a similar savings.

The politicians’ answer to the oil crisis of 2008 is nothing more than snake oil that should be discarded.

Honest answers as to what’s driving up pump prices are needed so we can map out solutions.

We know world demand hasn’t increased proportionately to today’s prices. Remember, less than three years ago, before Hurricane Katrina trashed New Orleans and hampered domestic oil production, gasoline prices were still below $2 a gallon in Pennsylvania.

What gives? And why aren’t lawmakers with clout clamoring for the truth and solutions? Why should oil interests pad their profits at the expense of our economy?

That’s the road less traveled, and it is the one our lawmakers should go down. Spare us the political gimmicks and get to the root of the problem.

Anything less would be highway robbery.

With prices now around $3.65 a gallon – 75 cents more a year ago – the pump handle at your favorite convenience store looks more like a stickup gun.

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