Idaho Needs to Scrap the Gas Tax for the Rest of the Year

We pay 33 cents in state taxes for every gallon of gas we buy in Idaho.  It’s not the highest in the country and appears at the high end of the mid-range when compared with other states.  Idaho currently has a surplus above 1 billion dollars and it could be approaching 1.5 billion.  Why not drop the gas tax for the remainder of the year?  It would ease people’s fears about inflation and the cost of the holidays. 

We’ve got a special session on the way with the legislature designed to work on just a handful of issues.  As long as we’re sending the house and senate back to Boise, let’s allow them to give their constituents a brief respite when it comes to taxes.

Surplus Funds Road repairs

I’m told the massive surplus could be transferred to the Idaho Transportation Department and its dedicated fund to replace the lost tax revenue.

The current national average for gasoline is hovering at $3.40 a gallon.  When I last filled up, my grocery shopping card gave me a twenty-cent-a-gallon discount.  I ended up paying $3.55.9 a gallon to fill the car.  Dropping the tax until 2022 would leave me paying just over $3.20 a gallon.  Which is the average in Charlotte, North Carolina, where one of my former bosses now resides.  He explained it’s among the cheapest prices in the country.  As of the moment.

A Winning Issue Next Year

All 105 state legislative seats are on next year’s ballot.   The Governor and Lt. Governor are also on the ballot.  A question for our elected politicians.  Are you looking for an issue that will impress voters?  A break with the gas tax would appear to be a winning campaign issue.  And it makes a great gift for the holidays.