After having a conversation with one of my students, I would like to know what your thoughts are regarding the possibility of a gas tax increase in Massachusetts. Do you think this is the right time? Or will it ever be the right time? And if implemented, how would you do it? What kind of conditions would you attach to the legislation?
I like the idea of a moderate gas tax in Massachusetts if its revenue generated is spent on improving railways and traffic law enforcement, not just to cover the budget deficit of the Turnpike Authority. The tax should be used to cover some of the current deficit and repair expenses, but I think the tax would be more beneficial as a tool to lower traffic and increase public transport use.
According to the article on boston.com, the tax is at $00.235/gal (under 13%) right now, and thinking back to last summer, the price at the pump is now at roughly 50% its peak. That means we have a historical index of cost-of-transport expense shifts for the Commonwealth based on the price at the pump and the habit shifts which result. If rational spending is all tied to each percentile increase and the source is ignored (controlled price increases are easily marketable, too much to take into account), any gas tax up to 33% would not suffer the economic flow too greatly and could even reduce wasteful driving expenditures which weren’t filtered out by last summer’s price increases.
Basically, I support the idea that we should have a gas tax increase. There are still too many drivers on the road, people need some sort of incentive to value cost over privacy (why should that incentive come from foreign oil?), and there is enough room for tax increases to support new public transportation programs and cover the cost of the TA deficit.
Also, tax exemption or redeemable credits for service drivers such as taxis, food delivery, couriers, and public transport start-ups would be excellent.
The raising of the gas tax from 23.5 cents per gallon to 50.5 cents per gallon is a crazy thought when people in this state, are losing their jobs in mass numbers, and others just are trying to get by with what they make. Other people that will be hurt by this gas tax are not only the consumer, but the small businesses around the state. Consumers will probably see price increases in goods, and services by business who pass the cost of fuel along to the consumer.
The governor is not saying he is going to increase it by only a few pennies, he is saying he is going to double the tax. In my mind anytime you are thinking about raising taxes it is never a good idea, when an economy is where it is now. Raising taxes will make the economy worse not better, tax cuts will make the economy grow. This increase of the gas tax would make Massachusetts the highest gas tax in the nation, a statistic I don’t want to be on the top of.
Instead of raising the gas tax Deval should use the money that Massachusetts is getting from this stimulus plan into paying for the infrastructure projects in which the money is suppose to be used on instead of using the gas tax to pay for these projects. The only infrastructure project where the money shouldn’t go is into the Big Dig which is a black hole because this project is never going to right or done. If the people on Beacon Hill took fiscal responsibility then we wouldn’t be in this mess that we are now. If the people on Beacon Hill cut all waste full spending, this cost the state billions of dollars a year in tax payers’ money. Deval, and the democrats on Beacon Hill want to tax everyone and everything that is not already taxed. A lot of people in this state are tired of the politics, high taxes, and regulations so a lot of people are moving to different states to get away from this. People will find other ways around paying higher gas prices if this tax goes into effect. People will cross the border into New Hampshire which I found out will save you 30 cents a gallon in taxes, Connecticut will save you 15 cents a gallon, or Rhode Island which will save you about 20 cents a gallon to buy cheaper gas, and the stations in this state will be hurt by this more when more people start driving off without paying.
So now we have Arabs and our own governor trying to screw us at the pump. When the price was historically high, the government was thinking about a gas tax holiday now that prices are down to a reasonable level they want to tax us, if it’s not the Arabs it’s our own government, just leave the price where it is. Why should we give more money to Beacon Hill and the governor in which they will probably spend this new income not on infrastructure projects or other important work needed in this state but like normal add it to the general fund? By reducing spending in the whole budget there would be no need to raise taxes, or put up toll booths on 93 because you wouldn’t need as much money.
I am in favor of a gas tax increase only under the following conditions. The first being the removal of all toll booths throughout the Commonwealth, the removal of the Turnpioke Authority, and the revenue collected from the tax is put into a seperate account for road and bridge repair. I know this is but a pipe dream.
The problem is still the Government’s way of doing business. While we struggle to make ends meet, we are suppose to except all these proposed tax increases while the fat cats on Beacon Hill give themselves raises and more perks.
I, personally, will continue to use New Hampshire as a tax savings haven and will never support a government as corrupt as we have here in Massachusetts. I live here for family, not for these political thieves.
The thought of a gas tax does not sound like a bad idea to me. However I believe that there has to be a plan set out to tell us where the money is going to go and what it is going to be used for. I know we are going through some hard times and raising prices on anything right now seems like a bad idea, however just this past summer we were paying almost $4 for a gallon of gas. With gas prices as low as they are right now, up to an additional 25 cents a gallon would not be crazy as long as it is being put to good use. On the other hand, i have heard rumors about adding some new tolls and raising the prices on existing tolls. If this happens, along with the gas tax, we may wind up in a position where it will be too expensive for people to drive anywhere and that would cause big problems.
This is certainly not the right time to increase the gas tax. All we have been told for the last 6 months is to help out the economy by spending our money. If the gas tax is increased, people are going to be watching their money even more carefully. How does anyone expect the economy to improve if we are required to spend more money on just getting from place to place? A better solution for creating more revenue would be to increase the toll prices on the Mass Pike and other roadways. The people that use those roads should be the ones paying for them, not someone who drives on the mass pike maybe once a year.
I think that raising the gas tax is not a good idea. So many people have already lost money and the last thing they need is to worry about setting aside more money for gas. If the gas is increased people will have to start relying on public transportation and then the oil companies will lose more money. If Governor Patrick really wants to help this states debt then maybe he and his team of government officials should not be spending so much themselves. Lets not forget the drape scandal February 21, 2007. Patrick spent $10,000 in taxpayers money for drapes, and ever since then I have wondered where our money is actually going. Would this new idea even pass in legislation? I would hope that they would have enough understanding to realize that people cannot afford more taxes being raised.
I think that the increase of gas is two things. One it is ridiculous and two it could be possitive. Gas is already expensive we’re already in poverty. We already have to adjust to having a lower standards of living so, increasing it will make it much worse for Massachusetts citizens. Then for all the people that need to drive into Boston everyday for work will need to pay ridiculous amounts of money a month for the Turnpike tolls increase. It doesn’t end there because the people need to pay for loads of money on parking. It’s just a long line of different expenses. People will start using more public transportation and parking companies will lose business. One good thing that might come from this is that people might start driving less in Massachusetts and that could get better for the going green aspect of living again. My final thought is that raising the taxes is eventually going to happen no matter what we do. We are going to have to just deal with it.
As a person who drives an average of 30,000 miles per year as a result of “entrepreneurial” endeavors, the proposed tax hike vs. raising tolls is interesting concept to ponder, never mind the VMT/RMV modernization program. So, no there is never a good time to raise taxes and fees, it always results in less expendable income.
My first concern is… what happened to the reform before revenue approach? According to Senate President Therese Murray, the 268 page reform filed has yet to be reviewed, which leads me to believe the FAT will not be trimmed, therefore, as we’ve seen time and time again, our hard earned money will be doomed to be used and abused rather than be put to good use. I’m assuming prior to the reform being written an extensive investigation as to how the MBTA accrued 5.1 BILLION dollars in debt (certaintly not from upgrades to the system) and the 2.3 BILLION for the Turnpike Authority- hmmm why exactly do they pay someone to hand me the ticket while there is an automated system in place??? Never mind the ridiculous hourly wage of the average toll collector! I wonder if the reform includes new management and organization?!
Maintaining, raising and adding toll booths is a logical solution if indeed the objective is to increase revenue via those who use the roads the most, not to mention the job creation that would follow such measures. BUT doubling the tax at the Sumner and Ted Williams to $7 is a bit extreme! Far too extreme as well is the concept of a computer chip placed in inspection stickers to track and tax drivers according to their use. That’s just plain SCARY…far too Big Brother for me, you can bet their plans for that chip go well beyond tax revenues.
Anyhow tolls or gas taxes will inevitable raise the cost of consumables. For those near the borders-the back roads will undoubtedly result in sales lost for those in Massachusetts….businesses will suffer….employment loss will increase, etc. Enough people are already struggling, but according to DeLeo taxes and increases are going to happen regardless, it’s just a matter of how much.
So, that brings me to my second question which revisits the others thoughts on… how is this money going to be distributed? From what I am reading the majority of the revenue will be used to pay down the debt, not for improvements in public transit or improving roads and bridges. When do we stop paying for the government’s lack of fiscal responsibility?
Organizational restructuring and accountability is what is needed before these people are given any more money to mismanage.
I have to be honest and say I’m torn about this question. I believe that raising taxes in the current economy doesn’t feel like the best solution right now. Especially with so many people being affected by job loss and housing loss. I think if they were to put in place a specific plan and budget where this tax gets put back into the economy in beneficial ways then the tax increase is worth it. Beefing up the bridges and roads is in dire need. I hit so many potholes on my commute everyday I’m surprised I haven’t gotten a flat tire yet this year! (knock on wood)
I also believe that tax increases are inevitable. It’s just something we have to assume will happen eventually..although the timing on this increase doesn’t seem to be fitting. I’d have to agree with most in saying that it will only affect the consumer more and make everyone wary of going out and spending money when gas will just cost more.
I don’t think that it would be right to enforce a gas tax unless there is a plan already made in which tells us where our money is going to be going. I for one would have no problem if they used the difference of the tax to create better paved roads as well as other things that could possitively effect the community. If the tax is just another way of the Government coming away with our hard-earned dollars while there just sitting at their office desk collecting I would not support the issue. Gas hit it’s highs in the summer of 2008 and I saw it first hand while working at a gas station part time during this time. I’ll give my two cent’s to the Government over this blog by saying that the customers weren’t happy when gas prices hit over four dollars a gallon and I’m sure they’d feel the same way if there were no community influencing results for the state of Massachusetts.
i think that the raise in gas tax in Massachusetts is not a good idea at all. it will be too expensive for the students who are full time and don’t work as much and it will be an extra 20 plus dollars to fill your tank. i think it should stay low below 3 dollars, and it shouldn’t get to where it was over the summer. i feel that there can be others ways to get money out of people then increasing gas taxes in Massachusetts.
I hate this idea. I understand they have to find a way to pay for their mistakes in building the big dig and all, but an extra 20 something cents a gallon is a little much. Why not bring it to a compromise do maybe an extra 10 cents a gallon and hike the tolls up to I dunno $4.00. Why should everyone in MA have to suffer when we don’t even drive on those roads.
well isnt this a gem, ABSOLUTLY NOT. this gas tax is moronic a 50.5 cents tax on every gallon are you kidding me? it would be cheaper to create a car that runs on rainbows and unicorn blood. I know we are in a crisis right now and we really dont have a lot of options but you cannot put such a high tax on something that doesnt have a set price i mean what happens when gas spikes to 4 dollars a gallon? yea it might yield people from driving more but the point of this is to make money counting on people who are driving. and whats all this business about 2.2 billion in debt at the turnpike? if i recall when it was built in 1955 they said the tolls were public service tolls installed to pay off the turnpike debt and that they would be removed when it was paid off. Looks like someone had their hands in the cookie jar, MASS. If it were up to me i would simply put in a temporary $10 fee for everyone who was coming into mass. i mean whats an extra 10 bills on your plane ticket if you want to drive all over our roads your gonna help pay for them, but knowing mass they would probly up the price of this toll and keep it for eternity.
There is absolutely no “right time” to raise the gas taxes to the
extent that they intend. With the cost of living currently
skyrocketing and the simultaneous nose-dive of our economy making it substantially hard to support ourselves (especially for the middle class), what makes them think we have the extra cash laying around to throw away on one of the largest necessities in life: transportation. They know they can raise the gas taxes, and be successful in doing so, because gas isn’t just a want in a America. It’s a need. We have no choice but to pay the extra 25 cents a gallon.
After saying this, however, I can also understand why they want to go through with this. Because of all the debt they are in, they had no other choice but to look for another alternative to this rapidly growing problem. The tolls are inefficient, costly way of collecting money. For every dollar that is collected through tolls, around 70 cents of that is paid out to the employees they need to man the tolls, infrastructure, and general maintenance. So in actuality they’re only getting a 30% return on what they are initially receiving.
Yes, I agree that they will be able to raise more money this way, but at the same time I believe IT WILL LEAVE AN EVEN LARGER DENT IN OUR ECONOMY THAN HAS ALREADY BEEN CREATED. Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention the additional loss of hundreds of jobs this will instigate upon it’s passing, seeing as toll collectors will no longer be needed. Good job guys, glad you’re thinking of ways to “boost” our economy. NOT
Ok, the Governor Deval Patrick wants to increase the State of Massachusetts Gas Tax by 27 Cents a gallon. In my case I pay $20 right now to fill up my car. If you calculate 20x.27= $5.40 dollars of tax. In other words 20-5.4= 14.60 Dollars of gas and a gallon in my area is 2.03 which gives me a total of 7.20 gallons. My car takes close to 10 gallons to be full. How the gas is right now I like it, however, if this plan goes into effect, we the people whom don’t travel through the tolls in a daily basis are getting ripped off. Gas is high as it is and it is going to be getting higher. If this plans goes into effect that means Cops whom use cars to get around our cities will be affected and last time I remember we pay for there gas. What should we just lay them off and have no cops. Please, in my world we should just keep this as it is, people say they agree with the tax and all that talk, however, when we have a couple of weeks and people start getting mad it will be to late. We are in an economic crisis people. We need to look at the bigger picture and actually save money not use it up.
I think a good way to look at this gas tax increase is by considering what would happen to the price of tolls if if the tax was not implemented. Thousands and thousands of people have to pass through tolling stations everyday to enter and leave the city. If the gas tax dosn’t increase, Boston area tolls certainly will, and it will actually add up to more than the price of gas over time. It’s easy for peopleto say “no gas tax increase” if they don’t go through tolls like all of the people in the large cities have to every day to go to work. That’s why most of the opinion polls are so one-sided, because the majority of people asked either dont pass through tolling stations, or simply don’t realize what else will be increased if the gas tax increase isn’t put into effect. I’m in favor of this tax increase.
I am strongly opposed to an increase in gasoline tax. We already have experienced a time, not long ago, when gasoline raised up to $4/gallon. Recently, the feul prices have been on the rise again. Personally, I think regular unleaded gasoline should never cost more than $2/gallon. The government is looking in the wrong places for revenue. I can’t even immagine how much our taxes are going to be raised in the future due to Obama’s economic “spending” plan. It seems like us Americans are digging ourselves deeper and deeper into a hole. Pretty soon, there will be no more juice to extract from American tax payers. I would love to know how wisely our tax money is being spent. I question the distribution of the money in which I work hard for.
This new gas tax is a joke. First they are increasing our income to help out during these times of financial crisis. Now they are hiking up the taxes on everything. At first they proposed to increase the taxation on gas so that Mass Highway would not have to increase the price of the tolls, now they are increase both the tolls and the tax. On top of that, they are now proposing to tax all Mass citizens that purchase anything in New Hampshire. The way that the government in getting money out of people is basicly robbery and if any regular citizen did this to the government they would be imprisoned for the rest of their life.
We shouldnt even bring up the increase in gas tax because our economy is a bad point right now and we wont know when this will end. Maybe in the future when our economy rises into a better state than we can talk about a small increase. If we did increase the gas tax right now or anytime soon there will probably be a problem and it will be harder for people to commute or even get a car. I dont think its a good idea right now.
I am against an increase in gas tax. I feel that it is not the right time to do this when the econemy is so bad. People are losing their jobs and their homes and I think that the last thing they want to deal with is a tax increase on gasoline which is a big thing in the United States. I know if i lost my job and i had to settle for flipping burgers the last thing I would want to think about is not being able to make it to work because I have no gas and I have family needs I had to spend my gas money on. I think that the tolls should definetly be increased because the people using the roads the most should pay for the fixing of them
I am a little late in getting to this blog…:)
I think the gas tax was a terrible idea. The state is taking more money from people to benefit the same people. How is that going to work?
I’ve got a great idea, though. Remember the chain gangs from long ago? Convicted criminals who basically gave free labor to a state as punishment and pay? Why not bring them back? Think of how much the commonwealth AND the country could get done by putting our prisoners to work!
I don’t think this is a good idea ..increasing gas tax isn’t going to help the economy and it is going to make it harder on students who go to school full time and can’t work as much to pay the extra money it is going to cost us to fill our tanks.
I think this is a really bad decision. Businesses are laying off people, cutting hours as well as closing the doors, the country is financially falling apart, therefor the last thing they should be thinking about doing is raising taxes or he prices of anything. This is definetly a bad time for raising gas taxes to just on to everything else.
I don’t think there will ever be a right time to increase gas taxes. As consumers, we already pay way too much for the things available to us in this society. Most things are already over-priced, so throwing gasoline into that category is pretty much the icing on the cake. If it does happen, people are slowly going to turn into vegetables, because they’ll barely leave their homes. It might not be so bad in climates that are warm and sunny year round. However, us New Englanders NEED our vehicles to get around and this would pose as a very serious problem.
This gas increase is ridiculous. One, Let me tell you that the gas prices in 2001 was just under a dollar and forty cents, those were the days that no one had to worry about loosing there jobs or even worry about the economy. But throughout most of 2008 and present the gas price went up about 13% percent. It’s crazy we already pay too many taxes as it is. Look I’m broke and I live in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and now they are remodeling our only one bridge to get out of this town, due to that, our gas prices here is a little over two bucks, two bucks I tell you. They are just taking too much taxes away from us. The Tolls like the Mass pike should be decrease because I am a New Yorker and I love to travel. I’m tired of paying a buck fifty just to get to another state. BY the sorry I am late with this Post!!
The gas increase within the last year was ridiculas i thought that paying like almost $50 for my little 2000 plymouth neon was stupid. Now that the gas decreased im paying almost $20 which i can afford to pay. With teh economy so bad right now the prices of gas are just going back up and up to make us pay more. Im almost broke by paying for 1 credit card bill and my car insurance bill. Im not even making enough money every week to be paying my bills and its tough now with the economy being so bad. If the gas prices would stay the same as they were back when I was younger maybe it would be alot easier on all of us if it was that way.
Ok I think that the gas tax is not necessarily a good idea, however recent events that have been shown on the news have made me think other wise. First of all last summer we were paying $4 dollars a gallon for a gas to fill up a car it cost about 65- 70 dollars. Today it cost about 1.99 a gallon and about 20 dollars to fill up your tank. Recently the MBTA has announced that there going bankrupt and that they may not be providing transportation on the weekends any longer. Most people that live in the MASS area have been to a Celtics or a Sox game, most people that go indulge and have one or two alcoholic drinks, this allows for places like fenway and the garden to make a profit. Now the people that were taking the train into Boston to go to these games are no longer going to be able to indulge which is going to make yet another organization loose money. This isn’t only about drinking and driving though, what about the people that don’t have a license or a car and take the train to go to work on the weekends. Ultimately if we don’t do something and make a change were going to be sorry. Maybe we have to pay an extra .50 cents but at least we won’t be loosing another amenity that so many people depend on.
I believe this is not the best time to be having a gas tax increase in Massachusetts. This is because if the gas prices increase in Mass at the moment it will not hurt us right not but when the economy does comeback and the oil and gas prices soar once again gas buyers in Mass are going to suffer terribly becuase of the tax increase in the beginning. The economy in Massachusetts may suffer with a gas price tax increase because people will not have money to be spending on extra clothes, groceries, etc. making it more difficult for the economy in Mass to recover along with the entire country.
I hate the idea of a gas tax. I work week to week to pay my bills and gas is one of those annoying things that cut into my budget. Gas is always going up and down and when it raises to 2.35 a gallon and it costs me $60 a week, it really makes things difficult. I know it’s a problem with the fact unnecessary driving, but i drive from Rockport to Danvers three times a week for school and i fill up once or twice a week. But what about the people who have jobs far away and have to drive. My mom has to drive to the airport everyday and the she has to fill up three times a week. I really don’t think that a gas tax would be a good idea at all.
Like I said in later blogs, I think gas is high enough. But then again if they don’t tax us in gas they will tax it somewhere else. I think we’re all screwed either way. It is really hard to have any faith in this place anymore. Sure it would generate tons of money, but at what cost? So a person can’t eat dinner because they have to fill up their tank to make it to work tomorrow in which the slave day begins again. This country isn’t free… the slaves thought they were free? sure the shackles were removed and they got some rights, but we are all still slaves. ALL of us. Honestly, when is the last time we were all carefree for even a day…
any increase in gasoline taxes at this time will not benefit taxpayers in the Commonwealth, in any appreciable or meaningful way, especially with the current state of the economy.
i think its a good idea because its still not gone be as high for us to pay for gas with the hike. ya its gonna make it hight then now but its not gonna be anywhere near what it use to be. plus it can really help the economy.
I am undecided whether there should be a gas tax not. I like the idea that the money from the gas tax will go towards transportation infrastructure to make it safer to drive without hitting a pot hole and getting a flat tire. But in my own personal opinion raising the gas tax is suicide for families that are struggling from the poor economy. If they were to raise the gas tax i dont beleive that right now would be the right time to do so because people are struggling harshly from the economy being in turmoil. I think that if they do it they should wait until the country is back on its feet.
I am goingto field this question on a personal level first because it is the easiest way to answer. No i don’t beleive there should be an increased tax on gas because that will come driectly from my pocket. I obviously would not liek to pay more money for somethign then i already do. That jsut doesn’t majke sense. And yes of course theres the argument that the extra money i spend and eveyrone spends will be gouing to a greater cause. But most of the thigns that money would go towards really wouldnt have much of an effect on me personally so why would i want that.
Ok now from the standpoint of someone who actually cares about the overall well ebing of the state. Yes there should be an increase because the overall money accumulated from taxing everyone slightly more for their gas outweighs the small ammount of sacrifice each individual would have to make. Sure liek i stated before on a personal level it seems ludicrous, but when you really think about the greater good, it’s not much to ask. the money rasied would hopefully be used for road maitenance and things that would show an immediate effect in the communitty.
I am opposed to the gas tax increase for the simple fact that I will have to pay more for gas. Don’t we already pay enough for gas? I do, however understand that the state needs to find a way to raise certain funds. I think that the politicians need to think outside the box and look at some alternative solutions to this problem. One last point I will make on this is if the gas tax increase can be implemented at a slow, gradual pace, so as to to not affect us in such an immediate way; then I think this would be accepted with less debate by the people of the commonwealth.