State Republicans Propose Eliminating Gas Tax... for a while

Yeah so companys can just raise the price anyways. Also there are so many Michigan roads that need to be fixed and don't get repaired, removing the tax will just make more roads not fixed. Either way us drivers are still be JACKED!

Anything to help out! This is getting crazy!! Between the fuel prices rising and the grocery bills rising, we can't afford to do much extra these days! It's pretty sad when you come home from the grocery store with 2 paper bags of groceries for just under $50!! That's crazy, and the other $50 went into the gas tank to get to and from the store!! Please do something, anything to help us out!!

Gas prices rose all of a sudden and never dropped after Katrina, with no explanation. Even though it's only 6% it's the principle of it. At least someone is doing something. Now if we can get the feds to follow suit what a great thing. Of course if they relieve us of the gas tax then they'll probably make us pay somewhere else.

At least they are keeping the tax used for roads. We need that more than anything. Michigan roads are past due for repair.

I thank they shoundnt do that then we have to pay more for gas it is a No. Becuses it is killing our wallets and i dont thank it is right to do

Getting rid of this six percent tax might help everyone. I mean us teenagers are having a hard time as it is. In order to get money to fill up our tanks and do the extra fun things we do its impossible to work under 20 hours a week, and thats on top of school.

They need to regulate the oil companies. This is where the problem is.

It will seem like the gas will never go down it keepes going up high it will be nice for the gas price would go down so we can more money in our wallets and that is hurting we for gas 6% come on that is still high for gas and i wood like to see the gas prices go down back down $1.67 maybe $201 that will not happed that would be nice again people that has big pick up trucks it cost a alot of money and poeple that has big gas tanks like me and ather poeple it hurts us bad and no taxes on gas

Cutting the price of something only makes sense when there is an over supply and you want to increase demand. I don't think there is an oversupply of gas locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally. All that will happen if the tax is lowered, and presumably the price at the pump will be lowered, is that there will a very short drop in price, a probable increase in demand, and corresponding increase in the price as supplies become even tighter than they are now.
Our high gas prices probably have more to do with a worldwide competition for petroleum products than they do will price gouging by petroleum companies. However, history has shown they they, like almost any other business in the position to supply a scarce commodity, will charge the most they can get away with.
The Republican's plan may make political logic, but it certainly doesn't make economic logic.

What that need to do is to cut that new gas out that way so food wont be that much money then

Oh you poor little sheep, do you not see this for what it is? Pandering for a vote. The repeal of the gas tax will be swiftly at back up by the corporations thus having little to no impact on yours or my wallets but will put a little more profit into the corporations bottom line. Then of course the Republican's will say it was at least them who tried to help knowing all along they were making the fateest cats even fatter. God will you people wake up and smell the dookie here! If you truly wanted your gas, food, and cost of goods to come down you would surely vote Ron Paul for president even if you have to write him in. Read his new book , "The Revolution: A Manifesto the new number one book on the New York Times Bestseller list! Go Ron Paul!

It is just another false promise made by our political leaders. They will cut gas taxes now, then after the elections they will restore them and then raise taxes on something else claiming they don't have enough money or it is "for the children"....People, we have to join together and vote all these yahoos out of office. Once these lawmakers find out their job is on the line, then they will do something serious about the high gas prices

Why would they propose getting rid of sales tax when we can"t afford services for us as it is?

The State Republican legislators have already amply demonstrated their fiscal incompetence this year. This would only add to that reputation.

Republicans are crafty and will do anything to try to appear they care about lower to middle class... This suspension of that amount of cents per gallon will do nothing to help overall and is a joke. Its the oil companies record profits that need to be addressed by Republicans...not throwing a few pennies back to us while taking the oil companies pay-offs to not solve the issue.

Absolutely they should drop the sales tax for the summer on gas. 6% of $1.50 / gallon in gas is WAY different than 6% on $4/gallon gas. The state does not need a whole "bonus" supply of tax revenues as a result of the increased cost of gas.

At the current cost of gas that would take about 22 cents off per gallon.

I hope that the budgeted amounts for sales tax income for the state for the year were calculated using a lower per gallon cost than what we will be experiencing this summer. Therefore there would not be a loss to the State.

And for those who want the michigan representatives/senators to address the oil companies record profits -- uh, that is WAY beyond the scope of the michigan government.

THANK YOU DERRICK AND DON!!! A breath of fresh air in West Michigan!
Whenever I read that these snakey repubs are coming up with something TO HELP US POOR POOR PEONS I automatically see a wolf is sheeps clothing. Remember GBUSH LOWERED YOUR TAXES TOO.....I wonder what the raises in fuel, the raises in food, the raises in all forms of transportation actually represent as a TAX ON ALL OF US that directly funds the greed of the traders on Wall Street? Then again to them any profit is a good thing even if we all go to ruination at sublight speed by paying it.
Time to TAX THE GREED not the people.
Stop the dollars going into the sand box called Iraq...that would help a LOT!
Doc in Rockford

That would not be good since the roads are already so bad. If the state wants to do away with that tax, the state should find a way to tax the Federal Government to make up for that lost road revenue. After all isn't the Federal Government and the Military the ones we rely on to control gas prices and prevent a depression. If the Federal Government doesn't want to control the prices, why should people in MI suffer. Everyone is already out of work in this state. The gas prices are like urinating in the face of someone you just beat up and knocked down.

Rediculous wrote:

Gas prices rose all of a sudden and never dropped after Katrina, with no explanation. Even though it's only 6% it's the principle of it. At least someone is doing something. Now if we can get the feds to follow suit what a great thing. Of course if they relieve us of the gas tax then they'll probably make us pay somewhere else.

You are right about them making us pay somewhere else. However you are wrong that gas prices never came back down after Katrina. For a period in 2006 and early 2007, we enjoyed gas prices around $2.50 -$3 a gallon.

infolit wrote:

Cutting the price of something only makes sense when there is an over supply and you want to increase demand. I don't think there is an oversupply of gas locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally. All that will happen if the tax is lowered, and presumably the price at the pump will be lowered, is that there will a very short drop in price, a probable increase in demand, and corresponding increase in the price as supplies become even tighter than they are now.
Our high gas prices probably have more to do with a worldwide competition for petroleum products than they do will price gouging by petroleum companies. However, history has shown they they, like almost any other business in the position to supply a scarce commodity, will charge the most they can get away with.
The Republican's plan may make political logic, but it certainly doesn't make economic logic.

You have a point with supply and demand. However, if Michigan wants to boost the tourism business, then it makes sense that they would do something to help lower gas prices.

John M wrote:

Oh you poor little sheep, do you not see this for what it is? Pandering for a vote. The repeal of the gas tax will be swiftly at back up by the corporations thus having little to no impact on yours or my wallets but will put a little more profit into the corporations bottom line. Then of course the Republican's will say it was at least them who tried to help knowing all along they were making the fateest cats even fatter.

If anyone can do without the cash, it's the government. After all, unlike the oil companies, the government makes absolutely no investment in the production, distribution, or sale of fuel. All government does is sit by and rake in the money. So while everyone is screaming about the profits that the oil companies are making, how about the profits that government is making?

RS Kentwood wrote:

People, we have to join together and vote all these yahoos out of office. Once these lawmakers find out their job is on the line, then they will do something serious about the high gas prices

Lawmakers cannot do anything more than cut taxes. They have no control over the petroleum market. Sorry.

kmm wrote:

Why would they propose getting rid of sales tax when we can"t afford services for us as it is?

Didn't you hear? Michigan had a budget SURPLUS last year. Wonder where that money went?

Derrick wrote:

Republicans are crafty and will do anything to try to appear they care about lower to middle class... This suspension of that amount of cents per gallon will do nothing to help overall and is a joke. Its the oil companies record profits that need to be addressed by Republicans...not throwing a few pennies back to us while taking the oil companies pay-offs to not solve the issue.

And how much have the Democrats done for you lately?

Anything is better than nothing at this point. We need a break somewhere!