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Government Agency Proposes We Actually Increase the Gas Tax To Fix America’s Crumbling Roads

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Quick, look out the window! Is that rain you see? No, wait! Those are meteors, not rain! The sky has been torn asunder by a hailstorm of burning Armageddon!

Angel Statue

Repent! Repent!
Image: aelena

So, as the tears of the angels themselves begin to fall upon the land slowly consumed by the demise of the world, one question remains: why? WHY NOW?!

Weeping Guy

In words as heavy as stone, I tell thee: truly the apocalypse must be upon us, for a United States government entity is officially spearheading a push to raise the gas tax.

Nick Shocked Face

Yes, verily it is so: the US Chamber of Commerce has formally introduced a proposal which would raise the tax on gasoline from 18.4 cents per gallon, where it currently is, to 25 cents per gallon, in order to pay for the Trump Administration’s planned infrastructure overhaul.

The last time any gas tax increase was actually implemented was a quarter of a century ago, in the long-ago year of 1993, from which point it has never wavered, untouched by elected officials that could see their removal from office reflected in the phrase “tax increase.” Unsurprisingly, then, the Chamber of Commerce has acknowledge that achieving this would be “a tough vote,” which the Washington Post described as “an uphill battle.”

Presumably, both groups also would describe the weather across the North as “a tad chilly,” and a trip to the beach as “a bit damp.”

However, Chamber President Thomas J. Donohue seems confident that the vote has a chance, citing support building in the business community, adding that “now gangs of people are pushing it.”

In addition, it seems that my joking apocalyptic rhetoric above was unwarranted, as even President Trump seems to support raising the gas tax, privately suggesting putting the tax at a lofty 50 cents per gallon (although this, apparently, did not go over well with Republican lawmakers).

Donald Trump speaking

Yup, President Donald “Ninja Hybrid Cars” Trump
Photo:Gage Skidmore

If the measure passes, the first change would be a 16.6-cent rise in gas price, which would raise $375 billion over the next ten years, more than providing the $200 million that the government so desperately needs to pay for the infrastructure initiative, which would otherwise need to come from budget cuts for other government initiatives. The money would then partly go to incentives to encourage local and state governments and private entities to invest in infrastructure, spurring an estimated $800 billion in infrastructure spending.

Rising gas prices would also likely encourage a return to buying more fuel-efficient vehicles (although, thanks to rising fuel efficiency standards, that now includes many crossovers as well as hybrids), and likely would involve some sort of fees placed on plug-in hybrid, electric or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, which use little to no gasoline, in order to cover the lost revenue.

Finally, though, it would lead to fixing our nation’s rapidly deteriorating infrastructure, and potentially add far more to make the business of getting from here to there safer and easier.

News Sources: Green Car Reports, Washington Post