Gas Tax? Americans Say "No Way, We Won't Pay"
March 25, 2008
Many lawmakers and auto executives have long advocated a higher gas tax to get Americans to drive smaller more fuel-efficient and thus lower-emissions cars. But all acknowledged to push a higher gas tax is political suicide.
A new survey proves it. The survey also illustrates Americans talk about their concern for the environment but aren’t willing to pay more taxes to fix it.
Nearly half — 48 percent — of Americans responding to a nationwide survey said they are unwilling to spend so much as a penny more in gasoline taxes to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
The poll, done by the National Center for Public Policy Research, found just 18 percent of Americans are willing to pay 50 cents or more in taxes per gallon to reduce greenhouse emissions. Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., has called for a gas-tax increase of 50 cents per gallon.
"With one-fifth of all U.S. CO2 emissions coming from light trucks and cars, any serious effort to significantly reduce U.S. emissions would have to encourage fuel conservation in personal automobiles," said David Ridenour, vice president of the National Center for Public Policy Research. "But almost half of all Americans oppose spending more for gasoline, despite polls indicating wide public concern over global warming. These results suggest Americans' concern may not be as deep as we've been led to believe."
Opposition to increased gasoline taxes was especially strong among minorities, the survey found. "It's not surprising that many minorities oppose higher gas taxes, as such taxes are sharply regressive, harming the economically disadvantaged disproportionately," said Ridenour.
Survey Details
Those surveyed were told Congress is considering legislation that would raise the tax on gasoline in an attempt to motivate Americans to conserve fuel and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.
They were asked how much more they'd be willing to pay in gasoline taxes and given seven choices: nothing, less than 50 cents, 50 cents, one dollar, two dollars, five dollars, eight dollars or more. Eighteen percent were willing to pay 50 cents or more; 8 percent a dollar or more, and 2 percent $2 or more.
Opposition to gas-tax hikes was strongest in the Great Lakes (56 percent), New England (51 percent) and the farm belt (50 percent).
Opposition grew when respondents were informed that eliminating cars in the U.S. altogether would only reduce world emissions by a fraction.
Among those willing to pay more for gasoline to reduce emissions, 58 percent are less willing to do so, and 42 percent much less willing, when informed their sacrifice would produce little positive results.
"Many global warming polls ask the wrong questions," said Ridenour. "We shouldn't ask Americans if action is needed on global warming, but how much more they're willing to pay for that action. We need to also ask whether people would still be willing to pay more, given the almost certain futility of it."
The survey did not ask how much they would spend to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.
Posted by Michelle Krebs at 9:18 AM under Analysis , Companies | Comments (4) | digg this | Seed Newsvine
Nice stenography. Now how about practicing a little journalism? The National Center for Public Policy Research is a conservative think tank that has received funding from Exxon-Mobile and other companies and organizations with strong anti-environment agendas. A survey "proves" (your word) nothing when it's designed to manipulate opinion instead of measuring it.
Posted by: Jon Woltz | March 25, 2008 at 1:52 PM
The main problem that I have with a higher gas tax is this: Where's the money going? If it were actually going to fund better roads and Useful Public Transportation (not something no one is ever going to use), then I would be for it. However, even with our current gas tax (42.5c in North Carolina), the money is almost Never used for the roads. Gas Tax money is the first thing to be dug into when another area of the budget is short. Hence, our roads are still crap and we have almost no public transportation. While I do think higher gas prices would do wonders for lowering overall consumption, I would just hate to give the Government even more of my money to mis-manage.
Posted by: Matthew Marshall | March 26, 2008 at 6:26 AM
Someone needs to tell the public that they will pay one way or another - either via a gas tax to reduce consumption or with more expensive, high technology/lightweight vehicles to improve economy. If we could trust the politicians, we should even be able to fund much needed infrastructure rebuilding and alt fuels research with the proceeds from a tax.
Eventually we will need to develop an incentive to conserve and/or move to alternative fuels -meanwhile, we continue to send billions to the oil companies and overseas.
Posted by: dbf | March 26, 2008 at 6:28 AM
Forget Alt. fuels, they are all a scam, every single one of them. I don't give a damn about global warming, but I would like effective public transportation to reduce or eliminate dependence on private cars. I hate cars. I know they are supposed to be this great symbol of American freedom and all, but seriously I think that they are nothing but a pain in the ass. They give the government the ability to take away your most basic freedom of transportation, whats worse they burn your money and keep you debt through auto loans, insurance, gasoline and a suburban home. Debt sucks, bills suck, the suburbs suck.
I agree that we cannot trust the government to use the money wisely, but then again, the Europeans based their public transit system off of the American system that was in place in the 1930s, which at the time was the best in the World. I look now at all the cool trains and subways that they Europeans have, and I am envious. As I am putting down the highway at 75 mph, looking out for the cops, the Europeans are cruising along at 200 mph, drinking cold beer on a fast train.
New Yorkers pay rent out the yin yang, but you know for something like a $100 dollars a month, New Yorkers can buy a transit pass and get anywhere they want to be in the city, fast.
Then I look at Main Street in my own hometown, and see how they have destroyed all the historic building to make room for PARKING!!! Now there is nothing there, and they wonder why Main Street is dying everywhere in America!
Tax the hell out of the gas! We are going to lose the money one way or another anyhow. If we don't tax it, then more of our money will go over seas, which hurts the dollar. The government is going to squander our money anyhow, more funds just keep them from having to sell more bonds on the market undermining our savings through an inflation tax.
Great thing about gas taxes, as opposed to income taxes, is that they are entirely optional. You choose to drive your car. You choose where you live. If you want to get out of paying that tax its easily within your ability.
Posted by: Johnnyb | March 27, 2008 at 6:20 AM