JLT Gas Tax Redux
Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson is expected to continue her call to suspend the sales tax on gasoline at a news conference in Indianapolis today. If you’re interested in what she has to say you can find an extensive interview here done back in May 2007 by my good friend Thomas Cook over at Blue Indiana.
By the way, JLT calling for a suspension of the sales tax on gas would put her position at odds with the Democratic nominee for President Barack Obama, who opposes such a move for the federal tax gas.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:34 am
Sales tax…federal gas tax. Not the same thing Abdul. The sales tax increases as the cost per gallon increases. Not the something.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:52 am
First arnie Tax is tax; I agree we should suspend the federal tax as the last time I heard Indiana gets back about 75 cents for every dollar they send Washington on federal gas tax. I oppose the removal of Indiana sales tax as more than hooisers pay it. If she wants to help the working folks in Indiana help pay increase on gas then reduce the income tax appropriately. Then people get it back each week in their pay check and the gasoline companies don’t just pocket the reduction. Now that wouild help more Hoosiers as all the non hoosiers would still pay it, the gasoline stations would not reap a higher profit and only people who work will benefit. Probably too complicated for her and to hard to explain in a 30 second sound bite.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Sure. Whack the gas tax now, and wait for the reduced consumption to set in. THEN there’ll be one mell of a hess, because revenue will be so low. The tax will go sky high then to make up the shortfall from us not buying enough of the stuff. Of course, that will happen AFTER elections are over.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Oh ya. Indiana is only one of seven states that apply sales tax to gas. Why? Why not stop?
Lets let the people decide in November when gas is 5/6 dollars per gallon. And they will I think. And TC…a tax is a tax. Come on.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:59 pm
TC,
Actually, all states get back a minimum of 90.5 cents for every dollar they send in to the feds. That money is what funds 80% of all state highway construction (Interstates, U.S. Routes, and State Roads) and any local (city/town/county) projects that have a federal grant/match.. . .most road projects involving federal funds are financed 80/20 federal/state (or local) from that 90.5 cents Indiana sends back to the Feds.
Regardless, this is political pandering on JLT’s part and makes her look bad since even the candidates in the Presidential election have come out against these shortsighted ideas. From what I’ve seen so far, one has to wonder is she really running to win or just running because a Dem has to run for Gov every 4 years?
July 1st, 2008 at 10:01 pm
I meant. . .most road projects involving federal funds are financed 80/20 federal/state (or local) from the 90.5 cents Indiana RECEIVES back from the Feds. Sorry for the mistake.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Let’s see so the 80% is 90.5 cents from us. My math shows that as a 72.4% return.
July 6th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
I agree with Obama. Gas tax holidays are gimmicks. What happens when the gas prices continue to rise? When do you kick the tax back in?
Still, JLT could probably score some points if she were to tie Major Moves and the state budget surplus into telling the gas tax to take a hike.
I love Jill, but I don’t like this gimmicky policy.