Summary
A RECENT Bush campaign commercial criticized Sen. John Kerry for having "wacky ideas ... like taxing gasoline more so people drive less." The ad was referring to a speech Kerry made 10 years ago in which he called for an increase in the federal gasoline tax of 50 cents per gallon, a position Kerry now repudiates. But is a 50-cent hike in the gas tax really a prudent policy?
In one sense, the answer is yes. Drivers impose a wide range of economic and environmental costs on society that they do not themselves take into account. These include exhaust emissions that pollute the air, carbon gases that contribute to potential global warming, clogging of streets and highways, more traffic accidents, wear and tear on roads, and greater vulnerability of the U.S. economy to world oil price shocks and price manipulation by OPEC.See the full content of this document
Extract
How to Curb Driving Without Raising Taxes
Most people don't consider these costs when deciding how much to drive, so they end up driving too much, guzzling too much gas - and increasing pressures to import more oil.
Higher gasoline taxes are ...See the full content of this document
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