Gas tax repeal is a void the oil companies could fill

Posted: Thursday, Sep 29, 2005 - 03:25:24 pm PDT
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There will be some hot items up for vote this November, but none will resonate with voters so much as Initiative 912. The measure would repeal the motor vehicle fuel tax rate increase enacted by the 2005 session of the Legislature for transportation funding.

But we think there's another initiative that should be on the state ballot -- one to prohibit gas price gouging. Washingtonians would be far better served by such a measure, rather than I-912 which isn't likely to give anyone a break, save for the gas companies.

A repeal of the gas tax wouldn't make a heck of a lot of difference in our wallets. The tax brought on an increase of three cents per gallon in July, and will tack on another three cents in 2006, an additional two cents in 2007 and a final one and one-half cents in 2008. That's nine and half cents per gallon in 2008. We just saw a jump from less than $2 a gallon not that long ago to nearly $3 a gallon right now -- what's nine and a half cents in return for an improved and safer transportation system? If we don't tax ourselves those few cents, you can bet the gas companies would find a way to get a hold of it. Better to see our money at work on our local highways and rail lines.

What we really need in this state is an aggressive measure to prevent gas gouging -- like 28 other states already have in place. A state law can be put to work far more quickly than the ones trying to maneuver through our federal system.

Our governor already has signed a letter along with seven other governors asking the President to investigate more than 26,000 price-gouging complaints made to the Energy Department since the end of August. Obviously she, too, is concerned about the matter, so why not act fast on a state level? The federal law may not pass, or it could be a long time in coming. In the meantime, we're all feeling the pinch in our personal lives, while on a larger level businesses struggle to stay open while their expenses skyrocket due to high gas prices and schools feel the impact on already tight budgets.

The good news is, the federal bill is in process. U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell of Washington and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) introduced legislation last week designed to ban gasoline price gouging.

The Energy Emergency Consumer Protection Act would give the President the power to declare national energy emergencies, make price gougers subject to new fines and criminal penalties and gives both states and the Federal Trade Commission further authority to enforce the law.

As voters, choose your battles wisely, and remember that your actions speak volumes. Repeal the gas tax, and tell your state government that transportation isn't as important as saving nine and a half cents. Or, focus your energies in a more positive direction: telling your representatives that we want to keep gas prices from becoming more out of control than they already are.

-- The Editorial Board

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