I bought gas for $4.45 a gallon tonight
That’s the going price for premium gasoline (93 octane) in these parts (Bethesda, MD). Back when I advocated the use of a heavy gasoline tax three years ago, I had $4-5 per gallon in mind, but I envisioned about $2 of that to be the actual tax itself.
What we’ve got now is a puny 14 cent tax on $4.45 per gallon. I suppose we’ve got our current administration to thank for this fine pickle. Weren’t we supposed to get cheaper oil from Iraq once we invaded liberated them? At least that’s what was sold to us as part of the rationale…
Thank goodness my commute is fairly short. And even though the price for gas is high and will likely get higher over this summer, at least it will encourage certain productive behaviors on the part of some people, not to mention that it will also spur more research into alternative fuels or transportation methods.
If you’ve got another couple of minutes, this guide to efficient energy use I put together back in 2004 is relevant to our situation.
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Ouch. I paid $3.74 for regular today, and that was with my 3 cent per gallon frequent shopper card discount. That was the cheapest gas within a reasonable drive from my home. I’m on the less affluent side of town. Over on the other side it’s $3.99 for regular and $4.29 for premium. Diesel is $4.50 or better everywhere.
I have a very short commute. The worst traffic I have to deal with is two cats in the hallway.
Comment — May 23, 2008 @ 12:06 am
Here in the Netherlands we pay 1.355 EURO per Liter which is about $ 8.04 per Gallon! And that’s a bargain here!! Normal price is about $9.80(!)
Hope that makes you smile again….
Here total TAX is 60% of the price!
Comment — May 23, 2008 @ 3:48 am
You’re lucky, Julie. I wish I could do all my work from home…
Daan, I actually wouldn’t mind those prices, because I know that heavy 60% tax goes toward proper road maintenance, healthcare, and various other public services, including better public transportation. Here in the States, the 14 cent tax per gallon goes toward the highway trust fund, but it’s a tiny amount and can’t make any significant contribution.
Comment — May 23, 2008 @ 6:31 am
[...] wasn’t that long ago that I paid $4.45 at the pump to buy premium gasoline for my MINI. There’s a huge difference between $4.45 and [...]
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