Gm says raise gas taxesby one dollar
- Thread starter v10enomous
- Start date
ViperCollector
Viper Owner
Have never bought a GM car - guess I never will and will be VERY happy about it!!!!!
GO MOPAR!!!!
GO MOPAR!!!!
Timnineside
Enthusiast
I have purchased several new GM trucks. Used to love Camaro's.......... This does change things, but I will always stick with my Mopar's!
This is only the start, Obama as he is traveling in "campaign mode" and not taking care of the country, has a problem talking out both sides of his mouth...Obama wants us all to drive Chevy Volts....then he wants to add a $1.00 gas tax increase because as more electric cars hit the road, less gas consummed and therefore less revenue from gas taxes...therefore, he will raise the taxes !! How is that hope & change looking now !!!???
Another thing, the mainstream media is so protectionism of Obama, they won't question how GM lied that they had commercials last year that they repaid all their government bailout loans YET, doing a simple check, you see that it is a big LIE, they are not paying the remainder and giving up some rundown stock and the government will probably lose over 15 Billion dollars...but the media will NOT run with this story !! Just think what 4 more years of Obama will be like !!
Gus Strakes
Enthusiast
I'm wondering if the GM CEO can talk while Obama is drinking a glass of water.
v10enomous
Enthusiast
Barry's gotta go...
Martin
Enthusiast
I didn't watch the video, but the concept of funding road development is a tough one. The roads are in horrible shape in many areas, and the money's got to come from somewhere... I'm not sure a gas tax is the way to go, though. I fully expect to see some proposals floated where people have to pay to use the roads via onboard transponders, or something similar. In the past, the concept of toll roads has gotten shot down - mostly because it's a pain to slow down, pay the toll, speed up again, then slow down to pay another toll. That's also a giant waste of gas, and it tends to cause congestion. If they could charge people a reasonable amount to use the roads, and not force them to slow down in the process, I think it would work. It might even help with the unlicensed/uninsured/illegal immigrant problem. To get a transponder, you need to provide proof of insurance, valid ID, valid License, etc. If you get caught without a transponder, you're screwed and you either get a big fine, have your car impounded, or go to jail. Seems like it would solve a lot of problems all at once...
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
I hated buying one in 2006 but when they had a brand new 6 miles, full bed V8 red Silverado with trailer hitch for 13K I couldn't pass it up. It's no wonder they needed a bailout.
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
If the government would spend gas tax money on roads instead of leaching off it for other pet projects there would be plenty of money for road construction.
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
It would help but with the amount of deficit we have, there isn't plenty of money. There aren't enough people paying taxes. I think the gas tax is the fairest way to pay for the badly needed road repair; users pay for the upkeep with no loopholes for anyone. Cheap gas is over. Too many people act as if we have a right to cheap gasoline. We ought to not build new highways until we can take care of what we have.
The other aspect that people need to understand is almost all electrical companies have gone to a tiered system of payment. You want an electric car, wait until you see your electric bill per month on the tiered system and tell me how much money you are saving. They compare poor ole gasoline to electricity, like electrity is free. There are extra taxes in those electricity bills as well. Since the electric bill payments may be paying for electric cars on the road, then they need to revise that tax to start paying for road construction from the electricity bill taxes. Not as easy as everyone thinks.
This country has plenty of taxes to go around. If the government would stop wasting it or worse off "GIVING" it away to all the other countries in the world, we would have more than enough to do something simple like road maintenenace. Do any of you have any real idea how much FREE money the US gives away each year to just about everyone? It is crazy and hidden for the most part, unless you look hard enough. Some of the projects I get made aware of, th US is funding 65% to put in new power plants in other countries in eastern Europe, etc. We are talking about Billions of dollars over there. yes there, not here!
Whole damn US government system needs an overhaul. It is not just a Obama issue and I am a Republican. Until we all pull our heads out of the sand, we will continue down the path we are on. It is crazy!
This country has plenty of taxes to go around. If the government would stop wasting it or worse off "GIVING" it away to all the other countries in the world, we would have more than enough to do something simple like road maintenenace. Do any of you have any real idea how much FREE money the US gives away each year to just about everyone? It is crazy and hidden for the most part, unless you look hard enough. Some of the projects I get made aware of, th US is funding 65% to put in new power plants in other countries in eastern Europe, etc. We are talking about Billions of dollars over there. yes there, not here!
Whole damn US government system needs an overhaul. It is not just a Obama issue and I am a Republican. Until we all pull our heads out of the sand, we will continue down the path we are on. It is crazy!
v10enomous
Enthusiast
Most electricity is generated by coal. If they want to eliminate dependance on fossil fuel they need to make the alternatives more attractive not force it on people. GM is going under because of the absurd entitlements the Unions have forced them to pay to employees. Hyundai will outsell Honda and Toyota here in America shortly the way they already are in Europe and GM is not even in the race. GM is losing money on every car that goes out the door and their days are numbered unless the taxpayers bail them out again shortly. Energy costs are going through the roof because we are not tapping our own resources .
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
Debt not deficit. The deficit is easy to fix - stop spending more than you bring in. The debt it the result of rampant government squandering of taxpayer money. Not enough people paying taxes? Heck, there are too many people paying taxes. So many that the government can give a trillion dollars to banks and then not do a thing about the bank execs writing themselves 100 million dollar bonus checks. 10 billion dollars to Pakistan? PAKISTAN??? The ones that hid Usama for 10 years? And we're supposed to let our government handle our money?
Sounds to me like our government has plenty of money. Every taxpayer in the country should go 1099 and tell the government they can't have it until they stop spending so much money.
Chuck 98 RT/10
Enthusiast
Agree 100%. They fund those kinds of projects to help their buddies. We spend 50 billion for AIDS treatment in Africa. And of course the drugs have to be purchased and guess who they are purchased from...the drug company who happens to be a buddy of the politician.
It's criminal and it applies to local, state and federal. And until there are enough people to fight back and not let them take anymore of OUR money we will continue to get screwed.
Wake up people.
what he said !!!
eucharistos
Enthusiast
oh come on bro
, how about paying for the roads with spending cuts 
and roads are for the general good, not user specific
GTS Dean
Enthusiast
There are several well considered comments in this thread. The federal gasoline tax has gone from 3 cents/gallon in 1956 to 18.4 cents/gallon in 1993, and it hasn't changed since. That's 18 years without an increase in user fee revenues. Hybrid/electric vehicles are getting a serious subsidy, paid for by you and I, the gas/diesel users of this nation.
Can you guess what construction costs have done over that same period?
The Highway Trust Fund paid for federal US and Interstate Highway initiatives until 1983, when the populous east/west coast Democrats forced Reagan to accept 1 cent out of 5 cents revenue increase to go specifically to a new Mass Transit Account in the HTF. Gasoline provides 64% of HTF revenues, followed by Diesel at 24%, Heavy truck/trailer sales ~8%, and the balance from annual truck registration and truck tire taxes.
If you look hard, you will see there is NO revenue into the HTF from any mode of transit - only a great sucking sound of our user fees being siphoned off for bus, subway, light rail, bike, etc routes that have NOTHING to do with Interstate Commerce. But, these non-revenue modes are getting more of our motor fuel taxes every year - leaving less for highway maintenance or expansion.
The average total annual revenues for the HTF over the past several years is around $36B. The Mass Transit Account is pulling right at $5B per year out of that total, plus transit-friendly states are able to "flex" another $1B of their federal highway allocations to transit, while road-friendly states can't reverse-flex. About $3-4B/year of transit is funded by the decades-old General Revenue (income taxes) - for a total of around $10B per year for transit projects. Highways, despite collecting $36B/yr, are only netting around $30B in HTF money.
Here's where it gets weird - the current transportation bill - SAFETEA-LU (now 2 years past its end) has been funding highways at around $40B per year - because the politicians do generally understand the necessity to support highway infrastructure for interstate commerce. However, they are ALL loathe to increase revenues to match expenditures. Furthermore, they have no qualms about taking yours and my national road user fees and giving them to local transit systems. The yellow bars from '07-'10 show repayment of HTF monies that were pilfered over the years for non-transportation purposes. These have pretty much been fully repaid out of G.R. (thru deficit spending).
We are now looking at the strong likelihood of a fully revenue-aligned transportation program in the next federal multi-year authorization (name your '-TEA') That means an across-the-board cut of approximately 30% from current levels. If you think your roads and bridges are in poor shape now - just wait...
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Can you guess what construction costs have done over that same period?
You must be registered for see images
The Highway Trust Fund paid for federal US and Interstate Highway initiatives until 1983, when the populous east/west coast Democrats forced Reagan to accept 1 cent out of 5 cents revenue increase to go specifically to a new Mass Transit Account in the HTF. Gasoline provides 64% of HTF revenues, followed by Diesel at 24%, Heavy truck/trailer sales ~8%, and the balance from annual truck registration and truck tire taxes.
You must be registered for see images
If you look hard, you will see there is NO revenue into the HTF from any mode of transit - only a great sucking sound of our user fees being siphoned off for bus, subway, light rail, bike, etc routes that have NOTHING to do with Interstate Commerce. But, these non-revenue modes are getting more of our motor fuel taxes every year - leaving less for highway maintenance or expansion.
You must be registered for see images
The average total annual revenues for the HTF over the past several years is around $36B. The Mass Transit Account is pulling right at $5B per year out of that total, plus transit-friendly states are able to "flex" another $1B of their federal highway allocations to transit, while road-friendly states can't reverse-flex. About $3-4B/year of transit is funded by the decades-old General Revenue (income taxes) - for a total of around $10B per year for transit projects. Highways, despite collecting $36B/yr, are only netting around $30B in HTF money.
You must be registered for see images
Here's where it gets weird - the current transportation bill - SAFETEA-LU (now 2 years past its end) has been funding highways at around $40B per year - because the politicians do generally understand the necessity to support highway infrastructure for interstate commerce. However, they are ALL loathe to increase revenues to match expenditures. Furthermore, they have no qualms about taking yours and my national road user fees and giving them to local transit systems. The yellow bars from '07-'10 show repayment of HTF monies that were pilfered over the years for non-transportation purposes. These have pretty much been fully repaid out of G.R. (thru deficit spending).
We are now looking at the strong likelihood of a fully revenue-aligned transportation program in the next federal multi-year authorization (name your '-TEA') That means an across-the-board cut of approximately 30% from current levels. If you think your roads and bridges are in poor shape now - just wait...
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Well the government needs the money to continue passing out SS checks 4 billion worth to people who dont deserve them.
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
The debt is in trillions (legacy of climbing deficits; I stand corrected, Chuck) - a staggering amount that spending cuts alone will not fix.
Eucharistos - "general good" - not following you. No one else uses the roads except drivers using gasoline. When electric cars become significant users, we'll have to figure something else out but it won't be hard! If you are talking about the overall transportation system's benefits, the picture would get pretty muddled and more difficult to enforce fair tax payment.
Chuck, too many taxpayers?! Are you aware that a majority of the taxes are paid by a minority in this country? The upper middle class pays most of it. I am talking about federal income taxes. The other types of taxes, the picture is bigger if that's what you are talking about. Yes, we need to find a way to slap the hands of politicians who steal money from one fund to pay for another.
Eucharistos - "general good" - not following you. No one else uses the roads except drivers using gasoline. When electric cars become significant users, we'll have to figure something else out but it won't be hard! If you are talking about the overall transportation system's benefits, the picture would get pretty muddled and more difficult to enforce fair tax payment.
Chuck, too many taxpayers?! Are you aware that a majority of the taxes are paid by a minority in this country? The upper middle class pays most of it. I am talking about federal income taxes. The other types of taxes, the picture is bigger if that's what you are talking about. Yes, we need to find a way to slap the hands of politicians who steal money from one fund to pay for another.
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