grue1d ago

As fuel prices rise, US lawmakers push to suspend the federal gas tax

https://lemmy.world/post/44865393

As fuel prices rise, US lawmakers push to suspend the federal gas tax - Lemmy.World

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/44856828 [https://lemmy.world/post/44856828] > As the war in Iran pushes U.S. gas prices toward $4 a gallon nationally, some lawmakers are pushing to suspend the federal gasoline tax in the latest attempt to try to control surging energy costs. > > Lawmakers say the action would provide much-needed relief for families and businesses that rely on their cars and trucks to get to work and school and run everyday errands. > > Asked about the gas tax at a Cabinet meeting Thursday, Donald Trump said he has “thought about” suspending it but suggested states should consider suspending their fuel taxes.

Show threadArmok_the_bunny21h ago
I was under the impression that gas taxes paid for roads, in that case how do they plan to fund all the road maintenance that decades of overfunding road construction while underfunding transit has created a need for?
Show threadgrue

LOL, nope. Gas tax revenue is only a small fraction of the cost of road maintenance.

The notion that drivers are paying their fair share is just a lie carbrains claim in order to bully cyclists.

Mar 29 at 1:44amWeb
Show threadPedestrianError  18h ago
@grue @Armok_the_bunny But with that said, as gas taxes do pay for some of road maintenance and expansion and the politicians in power (from both parties but especially Republicans) will never get over their addiction to reckless highway expansion, any temporary or permanent cuts to gas tax will be accompanied by efforts to end federal funding for transit as well as any facilities at all for people to walk and bike safely on roads.
Show threadBradleyUffner10h ago
That tax argument has never really made sense to me. As an avid cyclist, I don’t know anyone that owns a bike but doesn’t also own a car. I’m sure they exist in big cities, but I’ve never met them.
Show threadgrue6h ago
It’s not meant to make sense; it’s meant to sound ‘truthy’ (which is not the same as ‘truthful’) enough to serve as an excuse to scapegoat cyclists for motorists’ own traffic problems.
Truthiness - Wikipedia