State And Feds Should Lead The Way On Fuel Efficiency
State And Feds Should Lead The Way On Fuel Efficiency
To the Editor:
In April I wrote a letter to the editor suggesting that we would soon see $4 or $5 per gallon for gasoline. While I still believe that to be true, a recent trip to North Carolina raised a question in my mind regarding why gasoline is as high in Connecticut as it is. I paid $2.82 per gallon for regular the week of July 4th in a tourist area near Emerald Isle in North Carolina. Since crude oil pricing is set on the open world market, then why is Connecticut 15 cents or more higher? Taxes! We have a state tax of 29.7 cents per gallon, fully 9.7 cents higher than Washington, D.C., and 6.1 cents per gallon higher than the national average. This adds to the federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for a total, in Connecticut, of 48.1 cents per gallon. At least the fat cats in the oil company do something to âearnâ their profit.
Our legislators (state and federal) are kind of quiet on this issue arenât they? Is it because they want to spend that money rather than reducing spending like you and I will have to do? They want us to economize and drive more fuel-efficient vehicles, and we should. I just think they, too, need to economize as well.
State and local government vehicles that are not used in potentially high-speed police work should be converted to hybrid technology vehicles to reduce gasoline consumption. All trucks, large and small, and school buses should be diesel to reduce fuel consumption. (If diesel wasnât more efficient why would all large trucks and commercial bus fleets use it?)
The strain on the purses of the public is increasing, consumer spending declined unexpectedly in June. Wait until property tax and interest rate adjustments begin to be felt in the coming months and see what happens to the economy as consumers are forced to buy less and less as gasoline continues to rise to that $4 per gallon price.
Think it wonât happen here? In late 2005 when oil was predicted to rise to $75 everybody laughed (the current price was in the high $50s). Oil futures on July 14 closed at $76.80 per barrel. The new predictions are for $88â$100 per barrel. At $84 per barrel regular gasoline prices will be about $3.50 per gallon.
Wait till you see what that does to the school districtâs transportation budget and the heating bill! Wait till you see yours! Think about this as you decide who to vote for in the midterm elections in the fall.
Ken Schiess
10 Watch Hill Road, Sandy Hook                                  July 17, 2006