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No gas tax, say both candidates' aides
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Frank Cotolo
23 Oct 2008 |
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Gasoline demand is the source for about half the average U.S. consumption of
18-million barrels of oil per day. Federal gasoline taxes are at 18.4 cents
per gallon. They have not gone up since 1993.
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"That's fifteen years without a gas tax," said a McCain official, "and we
would like to see that go to sixteen and maybe seventeen or more years."
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Still, driving on U.S. roads has greatly declined in 2008 due to high fuel
costs. "But the cost would have been higher," an Obama aide said, "if there
were a tax on the gasoline."
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"For sure," said a McCain official, "even now with the price of gas going
down we feel the price would get higher if there were a tax on the gasoline."
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Top economist Leslie Warrpluvner agreed, saying, "Add a ten-cent tax to a
three-dollar gallon of gas and it is likely the gallon will cost three
dollars and ten cents. That sounds like a raise in price to me."
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Average gasoline prices declined 23 cents since the financial storm, falling
below three dollars per gallon for the first time since February.
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"If there were a tax now," said another McCain official, "the price of gas
would go up again."
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