"Car Talk" Guy Ray Magliozzi Favors 50-Cent National Gas Tax

This week on the Bottom Line podcast: Ray Magliozzi, on why he supports a 50-cent national gas tax: "We would want to discourage people," Ray says, "who had no good reason to drive a pick-up truck that got 11 miles per gallon just because they wanted to commute back and forth from Home Depot just to buy plants."

A little bit of "Car Talk" tax talk with Ray Magliozzi. Plus, WBUR's Meghna Chakrabarti explains the pros and cons of increasing the gas tax in Massachusetts by 23 cents.

Plus, President-elect Barack Obama proposes a stimulus package as big as $800 billion. We get analysis of Obama's first speech since the election with columnist Robert J. Samuelson of Newsweek and the Washington Post.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Egalitare]

Fifty cents is LONG overdue. We SHOULD be able to add five cents/gal every other month right now.

[Big0725]

Wow. This is one of the reasons I voted for John B. Anderson in 1980! He suggested this and was widely castigated.

[Decipherer]

That's the problem -- we've had it drummed into our heads by the Reagan crowd and their ilk that all taxes, and by extension government, are bad, Period, end of story.

Look at what that attitude has gotten us. Crumbling, third world infrastructure, a world overrun by motor vehicles, and a national security crisis based upon the fact that we import 70% of our petroleum.

And guess what? The federal excise tax we pay on gasoline, 18.1 cents per gallon, on an inflation adjusted basis is what we paid 30 years ago! Meanwhile, demand for that revenue used to maintain and improve highways etc. has gone sky high.

We can do better, folks.

[Giada]

Would it be feasible to have a gas tax that fluctuated with the price of gas? Or to the salaries and perks of the politicians?

[frantaylor]

They have been saying this for a long time and they are right on.

When I heard them talking about it, they suggested a $1.00 tax increase. Raise the tax 10 cents a year for 10 years. Announce it in advance so everyone has a chance to adjust to it and get used to it.

With the price of gas so high, people will not even notice 50 cents.

[Merckx]

I too think the time is right for a gasoline tax.

[Decipherer]

Eddy! Cannibal! You're back!

Love your bikes -- they are THE BEST! You ROCK, dude!

Great seeing you in Belgium last year.

[humble liberty]

This would be mentally shocking and fiscally feasible.

30 miles per gallon
12000 miles
=400 gallons
So a $200 charge. Compared to healthcare going up $1,000 or 2,000 at least, or $5,000 more for tuition.

But people would shriek... though personally 3000 miles is a lot for the summer, let alone the rest of the year at 1000/month.

Although..­. we can't charge commercial truckers like this. That would.... yeah, sledgehammer for a wall painting's nail.

[frantaylor]

If it is announced far enough in advance, the trucking industry will have a chance to renegotiate contracts and it will not be a big deal. They are still here after the recent price shock so they will still be here after a 50 cent increase.

[ajm8127]

Smart guy! The only way the large, dangerous, fuel wasting vehicles are going to be taken off the road is if they are not economical to drive. Own a roofing business, buy a pick up. Want to off road, get 4 wheel drive. Want to cart the kids to soccer practice, get a van. Need to commute 30 miles to work, buy a damn sedan!

[mespace]

Going green doesn't work unless it's mandated from the top down. It simply does no good if wealthy celebrities are buying a Prius. What about the three houses, two other cars, swimming pool and other excesses? Sure you could argue every little bit helps. But the amount of pollution is increasing much faster than the fuel efficiency or recycling rate. The solution involves people at the top legislating high standards across the board. Everyone, not just the rich people who already overuse resources, would become environmental by default. If you mandate grocery stores are no longer allowed to give out plastic bags, people will start bringing their own cloth bags. If there is a steep gas tax on all vehicles that are not fuel efficient, people will start buying fuel efficient cars. People in the neighborhood start recycling when the city provides recycling bins and pickup. You might be turning off the water while you brush your teeth, but the kids next door are taking 45 minute showers. If you don't set boundaries and let people do whatever they want, guess what, they do whatever they want. http://mespace.wordpress.com

[Darsan54]

The economy managed to chug along when gas was $4/gallon. Why not put a tax on the gas to encourage people to drive less and conserve more? Of course, Bush and Un-indicted co-conspirators will scream bloody murder. Listen to people who think a little beyond their own needs.

[scottarino]

yeah, it chugged along while working class pulled out their credit card over and over because they ran out of cash more early before paydays. Now it's come home to roost. I don't understand all this blather about steep gasoline taxes? $1.00 per gallon? Are your freakin' 'serious? Hey here's an idea...Con­gress increase CAFE standards regularly and make automakers comply. TAX those who drive gas guzzlers just because they like big "safe " transportation. Limit the number of gas guzzlers automakers can build. Increase emmissions­/pollution standards. This knee-jerk reaction of making ALL pay a tax because some abuse it stupid. Ray and Tom, please. Your idea is weak and simplistic. Almost as simple as the folks who lap this crap up.