 The prices are down a little at the pumps right now and we are all
breathing a sigh of relief even though the price of gas is still in
the vicinity of $4 a gallon. We read about record profits for Exxon
Mobile, Shell and all the other oil companies, and news about OPEC
countries posturing to limit the supply of oil to ensure that gas
prices remain high to their benefit.But the oil companies and the
members of OPEC aren't the only ones benefiting from high gasoline
prices. State governments have been able to hide raises in the taxes
they charge on a gallon of gas as the price has crept up.
In fact, Illinois now is third-highest in the lineup of states
benefiting from taxation during these record-high gas prices,
charging 48.2 cents a gallon. The federal excise tax on a gallon of
gas is 18.4 cents. So, Illinois motorists, you are paying a total of
66.6 cents a gallon in taxes for every gallon you put in your tank.
During George Ryan's administration the state government waived
all state gas taxes for a period of time in order to provide relief
for Illinois motorists while gas prices approached $3 a gallon. The
current governor and legislature have determined that waiving the
gas tax as gas hovers around $4 a gallon would be counterproductive.
Below is a chart of current gas taxes by
state.
[By JIM
YOUNGQUIST;
information supplied by a renowned source in the oil industry. Chart
supplied by API.] |
 |
MID-YEAR COMBINED STATE/FEDERAL MOTOR FUEL
EXCISE TAX BURDEN
Motor Fuel
Gasoline Taxes Reported by State as of July 2008 - Lowest to
Highest
|
Alaska, 26.4 |
Virginia, 38.0 |
Kentucky, 40.09 |
Oregon, 43.4 |
Hawaii, 51.0 |
|
Wyoming, 32.4 |
D.C., 38.4 |
Delaware, 41.4 |
Nebraska, 45.3 |
Nevada, 51.0 |
|
New
Jersey, 32.9 |
Louisiana, 38.4 |
No.
Dakota, 41.4 |
Montana, 46.2 |
Wisconsin, 51.3 |
|
So.
Carolina, 35.2 |
Texas, 38.4 |
Maryland, 41.9 |
Georgia, 46.4 |
Florida, 51.6 |
|
Oklahoma, 35.4 |
Vermont, 38.4 |
Mass., 41.9 |
Ohio, 46.4 |
Indiana, 56.9 |
|
Missouri, 36.0 |
Alabama, 39.6 |
Minnesota, 42.4 |
Maine, 48.3 |
Washington, 55.9 |
|
New
Mexico, 36.4 |
Tennessee, 39.8 |
S.
Dakota, 42.4 |
No.
Carolina, 48.6 |
Michigan, 60.7 |
|
Mississippi, 37.2 |
Arkansas, 40.2 |
Utah, 43.4 |
Rhode
Is., 49.4 |
New
York, 62.3 |
|
Arizona, 37.4 |
Colorado, 40.4 |
Idaho, 43.4 |
W.
Virginia, 50.6 |
Illinois, 66.6 |
|
New
Hamp., 38.0 |
Iowa, 40.4 |
Kansas, 43.4 |
Pennsylvania, 50.7 |
Connecticut, 70.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
California, 74.9 |
U.S.
Average Motor Fuel Gasoline Tax on July 1, 2008: 49.4
U.S. Average Motor Fuel Gasoline Tax on January 1, 2008:
47.0
U.S. Federal Tax on Motor Fuel Gasoline: 18.4
[API
chart]
|
