AAA says the average price of gasoline in the U.S. is $3.52 per gallon.
When it comes to the highest price for a gallon of gas, California used to be number one. No more. The new leader is the PIA Western Alliance state of Washington. The average cost of a gallon of gas in the Evergreen State is $4.98. That’s $1.42 higher than the national average.
By comparison, the also PIA Western Alliance state of California’s current average price is $4.85.
The federal government nicks the cost of each gallon of gas via an 18.4 cent tax. The highest gas tax rate in the country belongs to Pennsylvania. It hits consumers for 57.6 cents.
California still has the highest tax on a gallon of gas on the West Coast. The Golden State hits consumers up for 57.9 cents per gallon. Washington’s rate is 49.4 cents. In Oregon the average price is $4.62 per gallon.
The PIA Western Alliance state of Alaska has the lowest rate in the nation at 8.95 cents a gallon.
The question is why and how will this impact other states. Climate change and how legislatures around the country are responding.
California’s climate-change-inspired low carbon fuel standard and some cap and trade decisions have added 47 cents to a gallon of gas. Washington Governor Jay Inslee — apparently not wanting to be left behind in the climate change push — pushed the Washington Legislature to adopt a carbon content tax on gas in Washington.
Proponents of Washington’s Climate Commitment Act hope the price increases generated by the increased taxes will push consumers away from the pump and have them using less gasoline.
The point is to win the war against climate change.
Gasoline — and other fuel taxes — could even be higher as we move into the future because the Biden administration believes the same standards being adopted by Washington and California need to be adopted by the federal government.
If adopted, these policies — says Todd Myers of the Washington Policy Center — will add 35 cents to 52 cents to each gallon of gas going forward.
Washington’s Governor Inslee promised that consumers would only see a tax rise that is a few pennies. Of course, that didn’t happen and the increase has been much, much more. It is very unpopular with consumers in Washington who are feeling some serious pump pain.
Myers said this has caused proponents to start blaming the producers of gasoline for price gouging and for manipulating the market to — no pun intended — pump up profits. Claims of price gouging — as you expect — are unsupported.
Want a real picture of what gasoline prices should look like and why this isn’t price gouging by gasoline makers and oil companies in Washington and other states? As noted, the average price of a gallon of gas in the U.S. at the present time is $3.52. Several states are below $3.30.
Mississippi has the lowest price per gallon with an average of $2.96.
The cheapest gas is in Mississippi at $2.96 per gallon, and several other states are under $3.30. This gives a real-world yardstick of what is possible at current oil prices.
Here are the current per gallon taxes on the nine PIA Western Alliance states:
Alaska
Gasoline: 8.95 cents
Undid diesel: 8.95 cents
Arizona
Gasoline: 18 cents
Undid diesel: 18 to 26 cents
California
Gasoline: 57.9 cents
Undid diesel: 44.1 cents
Idaho
Gasoline: 32 cents
Undid diesel: 32 cents
Montana
Gasoline: 33 cents
Undid diesel: 29.75 cents
Nevada
Gasoline: 23 cents
Undid diesel: 27 cents
New Mexico
Gasoline: 17 cents
Undid diesel: 21 cents
Oregon
Gasoline: 38 cents
Undid diesel: 38 cents
Washington
Gasoline: 49.4 cents
Undid diesel: 49.4 cents
Source link: ComplyIQ — https://www.complyiq.io/gas-tax-state-2/
