{OT} Gas prices up 66 percent since Jan

This press release indicates who is making the money:

*A1104584400000*B1177903187000*C4102491599000*DgroupByDate*J2*N1001106&newsLang=en&beanID=2030803304&viewID=news_view Jeff, ExxonMobil owner (I own about 0.000001% of the company)

*A1104584400000*B1177903187000*C4102491599000*DgroupByDate*J2*N1001106&newsLang=en&beanID=2030803304&viewID=news_view>

So I was right. Johnny Rockefeller is laughing at us from whatever Hell he is in now. Exxon/Mobil is the primary successor to Standard Oil these days.

Charles of Schaumburg

Gas prices always sky rocket in the summer... and yeah, ofcourse companies are making insane profits.. they should be allowed to adjust gas to supply and demand like any other company.. In fact I wouldnt mind if gas prices went up to 5 dollars a gallon!

You call these profits "insane." Just what kind of profits do you think oil companies should be allowed to make? How do you figure this out?

How should their profits be compared to companies like utilities, which often have their rates regulated by the government?

Of course, I am not enjoying my profit from my shares of ExxonMobil at this time.

Jeff

You are correct. The entity that makes the most off of every gallon of gasoline YOU buy is YOUR state, at an average of 34c, way more than anybody else! Number two is the feds at 18.5c. The oil companies around 10c and the station operator around 7c. For the station operator that is 2c more than they earned when the price was 23c a gallon, in the late fifties.. Station operators will tell you many times, when they get a tank truck load of fuel, it costs them more than the GROSS price at which the sold the previous tank load.

mike

I say let them adjust them to what they will.. If people dont want to pay it then they can take public transportation... or walk. My father walked 3 miles to school and back every day when he was growing up. I walked a mile because the bus wouldnt pick us up. Now some people may live more than that but more the reason to car pool..

Hell maybe higher gas prices will force people to spend more time with their family...

In much of the country, there is no mass transportation, and never will be. And, many jobs require the use of a vehicle.

The highest tax rate by any state is NY, at 33.55c per gallon. The lowest is Alaska, at 8c per gallon. (Some of the state taxes are sales taxes, so they go up with the price of gas.)

According the Department of Energy, 15% of the price of gasoline (at $2.59 / gallon) goes to taxes. That's about 38c.

Federal tax is 18.4c per gallon.

I also so a lot of variation on diesel prices. I saw diesel for sale in PA for about $2.89 (near the Target store in Stroudsburg) and $3.89 when I was filling up on route 3 near Clifton NJ. I am not sure why the fuel varies so much. According to the DOE, diesel averages at about $2.67 per gallon.

A small minority of jobs do require vehicles but there is no reason a profitable company cannot pay for that.

As for their not being mass transportation. A majority of the country lives in the inner city where there is mass transportation. Even in Logan Utah there is a bus system. Also, if they didnt yet have bus systems they would be forced to get them.

Our addiction to gasoline and low gasoline prices is nothing more than convenience. We love to drive and toot our vehicle all over the place.

Think of huge areas of the country where homes are few & far apart...

Cathy

Think of the huge areas of the country where you can buy Toyota Priuses.

They need to learn how to conserve, fuel, too. And if the price of fuel is too much, they can move to a more populated area.

Unforunately, the reality is that the price of energy is going up. I think it will continue to go up, as more and more areas of the world become developed, like China, India, and, I hope, Africa. Energy is a limited resource.

Jeff

I'm already living in a suburb, and have cut down my gasoline usage to the bare minimum. I have to go someplace 4 miles away at 5 AM on 3 mornings a week. And I have to drive to work at 8 AM 3 miles 5 times a week, and I'm on call in my business.

I used to drive 90 miles a day, now I'm down to 54 miles a week if I can avoid making any side trips.

Charles of Schaumburg

Charles of Schaumburg

I knew SOMBODY would do the search, to show me I was wrong. Now I can be the one to say YOU'RE wrong I save a lot of time and effert that way. LOL

After crude oil costs, taxes are the second largest contributor to the price paid at the pump. Together Federal and State excise taxes on fuel account for an average cost of approximately 62 cents per gallon.

State Gasoline (¢/g) Diesel (¢/g) Comment

Alabama 20.3 21.3 Other taxes include a 2cpg inspection fee. Counties can levy up to 5 cpg with approval of the state legislature. Cities and counties can levy additional tax-rates range from .5 cpg to 4 cpg. An additional 1 cpg UST/AST Trust Fund Environmental Transport Fee is levied at the wholesale level to cover remediation costs.

Alaska 8 8 There is a .06 per gallon tax credit for gasohol used during a mandated control period in a CO nonattainment area. However, there are currently no areas in nonattainment. The motor fuel tax rate for marine use is 5 cents/gallon; aviation gas is 4.7 cents/gallon; and jet fuel is 3.2 cents/gallon.

Arizona 19 28 Other taxes include a 1 cpg UST tax. Use class vehicles pay an additional 9 cpg on diesel (with an exemption for vehicles under 26,000 gw).

Arkansas 21.8 22.8 Plus .3cpg environmental assurance fee assessed at the wholesale level for underground storage tank fund.

California 44.7 45 Other taxes include a 6% state sales tax and 1.25% county, plus additional local sales taxes and 1.2 cpg state UST fee.

Colorado 22 20.5

Connecticut 45 41.5 Other taxes include gross receipts earnings tax collected at wholesale. Pursuant to SB 2000 passed in 2005, the gross receipts earnings tax increased by .5 cpg, from 5.8% to 6.3% on 7/1/06. Future increases are as follows: from 6.3% to 7% on 7/1/07, from 7% to 7.5% on 7/1/08 and from 7.5% to 8.1% on 7/1/13.

Delaware 23 22 An additional .9% gross receipts tax for the state hazardous substance cleanup fund is also assessed at the wholesale level after yearly exclusions are met. (Title 7: 9114)

Dist. of Columbia 20 20

Florida 31.9 27.9 The gasoline statewide tax is 14.9 cpg which includes sales tax (10.9 cpg) and excise tax (4 cpg). Gasoline sales tax rate increased 0.4 cpg on 1/1/06 with annual change based on CPI. Gasoline 14.9 cpg does not include 2.2 cpg tax/fee for environmental inspection purposes (5 cents per barrel tax for the Water Quality Assurance Trust Fund, 80 cents per barrel for the Inland Protection Trust Fund, 2 cents per barrel for the Coastal Protection Trust Fund, and 1/8 cpg for weights and measures inspection fee). Gasoline 14.9 cpg also does not include taxes varying by counties including the State Comprehensive Enhanced Transportation System Tax (SCETS), which increased 0.2 cpg to 6 cpg (Franklin County is 5 cpg) based on CPI and county local option taxes ranging from minimum 10.0 to maximum 18.0 cpg. Depending on the county, state and federal gasoline taxes vary from 45.5 to 53.5 cpg. The 27.9 cpg for diesel is flat across all Florida counties and includes sales (10.9 cpg), excise (4 cpg), SCETS (6 cpg), and various local option taxes (7 cpg). Based on CPI, the diesel sales tax increased 0.4 cpg and SCETS 0.2 cpg.

Georgia 26.3 26.3 Other taxes include 4% sales tax and local option sales taxes which range from 1% to 4%.

Hawaii 31.8 44.1 Other taxes include 4% sales tax and additional county taxes and 0.12cpg environmental response tax. Effective 4/2/06 state law requires 85% of gasoline sold in the state to contain 10% ethanol. Actual sales in 4/06 reflect 99% of gasoline sold in Hawaii contains 10% ethanol. Ethanolblended gasoline is exempt from the state's 4% excise tax on retail sales and is reflected in chart.

Idaho 25 25

Illinois 37.4 45.6 Other taxes include 6.25% sales tax and $0.003 per gallon tax for underground storage tank fund, and other local sales and gasoline taxes. Diesel fuel taxes are 27.5 cpg for commercial highway users.

Indiana 31 41.7 Other taxes include 6% sales tax and $0.008 per gallon inspection fee. For diesel, there is an 11cpg surcharge paid on a quarterly selfreporting basis.

Iowa 22 23.5 Other taxes include 1 cpg UST fee. Iowa tax on gasoline is based on percentage of ethanol sales compared to total motor fuel [gasoline] sold. Tax on regular gasoline increased on 7/1/06 from 20.7 cpg to 21.0 cpg, until 6/30/07. Rate is based on the percentage of ethanol blended fuel sold during the previous calendar year. The tax on ethanol blend of 10 % is 19 cpg and the tax on E85 is 17 cpg.

Kansas 25 27 Inc 1 cpg environmental fees.

Kentucky 18.5 15.5 Ten cents of the excise tax is indexed to the Average Wholesale Price not to exceed 10% of the tax in any year. Excise tax includes 5 cpg supplemental highway user tax. Other taxes include 1.4 cpg fee collected for the underground storage tank fund. Supplemental highway user tax is 2 cpg for special fuels. Commercial carriers pay surtax via a quarterly report of 2.2 cpg on gasoline and 5.2 cpg on special fuels.

Louisiana 20 20

Maine 28.3 28.6 Other taxes include for gasoline: .07 cpg for Coastal and Inland Water fund, 1.38 cpg for Groundwater Fund and 40 cpg/10,000 gallons for Petroleum Market Share Act. Other taxes include for diesel: .07 cpg for Coastal and Inland Water Fund and .6 cpg for Groundwater Fund. Governor signed legislation in 2002 to index gasoline tax beginning 7/03. Based on indexing, tax increased .9 cpg 7/1/06.

Maryland 23.5 24.3

Massachusetts 23.5 23.5 Other taxes include 2.5 cpg UST fund tax. (UST tax increased from .5 cpg on 4/1/03).

Michigan 35.2 32.7 Other taxes include 6% sales tax and 0.875 cpg for environmental regulation fee for refined petroleum fund.

Minnesota 22 22 Other taxes include periodic 2 cpg UST cleanup fee at wholesale level which fluctuates depending on the fund balance. UST (Petrofund) fee currently in effect from 10/1/05 to 1/31/06.

Mississippi 18.8 18.8 Governor signed legislation in 2002 that included removal of the 2008 expiration date of the 6 cpg temporary tax increase adopted by voters in 1992. Does not include additional .05 cpg agriculture inspection fee and .5 cpg transportation load fee.

Missouri 17.6 17.6 Governor signed legislation in 2002 that included removal of the 2008 expiration date of the 6 cpg temporary tax increase adopted by voters in 1992. Does not include additional .05 cpg agriculture inspection fee and .5 cpg transportation load fee.

Montana 27.8 28.6 Other taxes include 0.75cpg fee assessed at the pump to go toward the state cleanup fund.

Nebraska 28 27.4 Variable 12.5cent base plus 14.6 cpg variable rate. Other taxes include 0.9cpg release prevention fee for gasoline and 0.3cpg release prevention fee for diesel and other fuels. Variable rate increased from 13.6 cpg to 14.6 cpg for the period 7/1/06 to 12/31/06.

Nevada 32.5 28.6 Other taxes include up to 10cpg county tax on gasoline,

0.75cpgcleanup fee, and .055 cpg inspection fee.

New Hampshire 20.6 20.6 Other taxes include 0.1 cpg for oil pollution control fund, 1.5 cpg for UST cleanup fund, 1 cpg for AST and bulk storage fund. Also 2 cpg for fuel oil and bulk fuel oil storage.

New Jersey 14.5 17.5 Other taxes include 4 cpg Petroleum Products Gross Receipts Tax.

New Mexico 18 19 Other taxes include 1 cpg loading fee.

New York 43.9 42.3 Excise tax rate does not include Petroleum Business Tax of 15.9 cpg for gasoline and 14.15 cpg for diesel (rate increased .7 cpg

1/1/06), a spill tax of 0.3 cent per gallon collected on gasoline and diesel and a petroleumtesting fee of 0.05 cent per gallon levied on gasoline (only). Other taxes include a statewide volume weighted average sales tax of between 8 and 8.75 cpg, and local county sales tax of between 3.25% to 5.75%. Local option taxes that changed effective 7/1/06 were not included in this chart, and are still calculated under the percentage method.

North Carolina 30.2 30.2 Other taxes include 0.25cpg inspection tax. Rate increased 2.8 cpg 1/1/06. It consists of a 17.5 cpg flat rate plus a variable rate of 12.4 cpg wholesale component based on 7% average wholesale price component based on prices from 4/1/05 and 9/30/05 (the average price for that period was 1.7755 cpg).

North Dakota 23 23 Legislation passed in 2005 (HB 2012) increased state gasoline tax by 2 cpg effective 7/1/05. Also, effective 7/1/05, E85 blends taxed at 1 cent per gallon until $250,000 grant allocated for ethanol is depleted, then E85 will be taxes at 23 cpg. The E85 subsidy ended 5/1/06. Effective 5/1, the E85 tax rate will be 23 cpg, the same as for gasoline and ethanol.

Ohio 28 28 Per 2003 legislation, rate increases 6 cpg in 2year increments. First increase took effect 6/30/03. 7/1/04 rate increased another 2 cpg (to 26 cpg) and 7/1/05, rate increased an additional 2 cpg (to

28 cpg). Surcharge of 3 cpg for commercial vehicles.

Oklahoma 17 14 Other taxes include 1 cpg per gallon UST fee.

Oregon 24.9 24.3 Other taxes include additional optional county gasoline (ranging from 1 to 3 cpg) and city gasoline and diesel taxes (ranging from 1 to 5 cpg).

Pennsylvania 32.3 39.2 Other taxes include 19.2 cent per gallon oil company franchise tax on liquid fuels (primarily gasoline) and 26.1 cpg oil company franchise tax on fuels (primarily diesel) and a 12 cpg tax liquid fuels tax rate. Also includes 1.1 cpg UST fee paid by retailers on gasoline and diesel. Franchise tax based on the average wholesale price of gasoline during a 1year period and revised on 1/1 annually. Oil franchise tax increased 1.2 cpg for gasoline and 1.7 cpg for diesel on 1/1/06.

Rhode Island 31 31 Other taxes include 3cpg wholesale distributor tax and

1 cent per gallon environmental protection regulatory fee for UST program. Tax increased 2 cpg on 7/1/02.

South Carolina 16.8 16.8 Other taxes include a 0.25 cpg inspection fee for inspection program and 0.50cpg environmental fee for UST cleanup. Assessed on all petroleum products at the wholesale level.

South Dakota 24 24 Other taxes include 2 cpg Tank Inspection Fee. Ethanol is taxes at 20 cents per gallon, E85 and M85 are taxed at 10 cpg.

Tennessee 21.4 18.4 Other taxes include 1cent special petroleum tax for gasoline and .4 cpg environmental assurance fee.

Texas 20 20

Utah 24.5 24.5

Vermont 20 26 Other taxes include 1 cpg license fee for UST fund.

Virginia 19.6 18.1 Other taxes include 0.6cpg petroleum storage tank fee and 2% sales tax on motor fuels in localities that are part of the Northern Virginia Transportation District or localities in a transportation district contiguous to that district.

Washington 34 34 Per 2005 legislation (SB 6103) rate increased 3 cpg

7/1/05, another 3 cpg on 7/1/06, 2/cpg on 7/1/07 and 1.5 cpg on 7/1/08. Per legislation passed in 2003, rate increased 5 cpg effective 7/1/03.

West Virginia 27 27 Other taxes include a 5% variable wholesale tax, presently 6.5 cpg, based on statewide average wholesale price of gasoline with a minimum price of $1.30 per gallon. Variable wholesale tax increased

1/1/05 from 4.85 cpg to 6.5 cpg.

Wisconsin 32.9 32.9 Variable adjusted annually on 4/1. Effective 4/1/06, rate changed to 30.9 cpg. Rate calculated by multiplying the current rate by an inflation factor (annual change in the consumer price index.) Other taxes include 2cpg UST fee on gasoline and diesel. Gasoline tax indexing scheduled to end on 4/1/07.

Wyoming 14 14 Other taxes include 1 cpg to the environmental cleanup costs.

They would be forced to conserve or move to the inner city...

Precisely!

Living in a rural area is not an excuse for hogging!

I make it a point to drive thru NY without filling up. It is bad enough to have to pay a damned toll just to cross that state....

Because of the distances/times involved, people who live out in the boonies don't routinely make side trips for a loaf of bread or some ice cream on a whim; they already consolidate their shopping trips & errands, and often consolidate those in turn with their work commute.

Right... *forced* to trade the wide open spaces for city living. I. don't. think. so. If they wanted to live in an urban area, they'd already be there.

Sure, there needs to be a general move toward conservation of the finite resources, but in this case you're barking up the wrong tree - it's not a simple one-size-fits-all deal. Various solutions will fit various conditions.

Cathy

Going from what point to what point?

It is bad

The Thruway was *supposed* to be free once the initial tolls paid for the cost of the construction. Hah.

Cathy

This is true.

See my other post, in response to "Go Mavs". People who choose live up in the Adirondacks, for example - no way, no how are you going to persuade them to move into a big city which has mass transit. They're up there for the quality of life/the serenity their surroundings provide. Although many towns are along state roads, there are parts of the Adirondacks which are so remote that there's no way there could be adequate bus service. I know of places where kids need to be brought to their school bus stops by their parents via snowmobiles in the winter - the buses can't safely get to their homes.

Although I hate to pay higher costs as much as anyone (gas is almost $3.00/gallon here again), in the long run perhapss the higher costs will be the wake-up calls that finally actually wake people up - for the auto industry, for alternative energy sources...

Cathy