Posted on 07/01/2023 5:03:28 AM PDT by bert
The average gallon of regular gas costs $4.98 in Washington state as of June 30, more than $1.00 higher than the national average
For the first time ever, Washington is the most expensive state in the country to buy gas and a new policy aimed at protecting the environment is a big reason why.
n January, Washington began a program aimed at limiting carbon emissions that requires fuel suppliers to either cut their greenhouse gasses or pay a price, but some fuel suppliers are passing along their increased costs to customers.
The average gallon of regular gas currently costs $4.98 in the state, according to AAA. That’s up $0.27 per gallon from one month ago and over $1.00 more than the national average.
"It has hit my pockets hard," said Seattle resident Sharon Ocain. "When I put gas in my truck, I spend at least $80 just to be able to get back and forth to work for two days."
The "Cap and Invest" program requires field suppliers to buy allowances based on how much greenhouse gas they emit. The program plans to reduce the number of available allowances over time, essentially making pollution more expensive for companies.
"You put an additional price on activities that use or are associated with the emission or greenhouse gasses." said Josiah Neeley with R Street Institute. "And that is supposed to encourage people to not do those behaviors, to switch to alternatives. And that’s going to reduce emissions over time."
But that doesn’t mean consumers are happy about it.
"That definitely sucks, because the consumer’s paying more for gas," said Seattle resident Chip Conyard. "I’ve definitely paid attention to it."
"It shouldn’t have to fall on us, really," Ocain added. "Because in our society right now, it’s hard to live."
In order to survive amid the hefty price tag on gas, residents might have to change their habits or the vehicle they drive, Neeley explained.
"Historically, what you see is, over time, people buy more fuel efficient vehicles," Neeley said. "They buy more hybrids, maybe they figure out how to make fewer trips."
The University of Washington reported other reasons for the spike in gas prices include a rise in demand during the summer and maintenance work being done on a major pipeline in the state.
The complete absence of greenie wackos will lower the price of gasoline the citizens of Washington pay
The goal of the policy has nothing to do with “the environment.”
The goal of the policy is to establish a hierarchy of people who tell you what to do and people who do what they’re told.
Neely thinks daily commuters will find alternatives or simply commute less.
Suggest Neely find alternatives to eating, or simply consume less.
Maybe Neely find alternatives to breathing, or simply do less of it.
250 work days in a year = 125 fill-ups * $80 - $10,000 a year.
Remember, folks: Gang Green wants you freezing and starving in the dark. Mostly, they want you dead.
LOL Do these idiots not realize that ultimately people have to pay for these regulations - its not some imaginary fairy that pays for this stuff. You vote for it, you are going to pay for it, period.
LOL Do these idiots not realize that ultimately people have to pay for these regulations - its not some imaginary fairy that pays for this stuff. You vote for it, you are going to pay for it, period.
Why would you live where you need to commute and spend $80 every two days on gas at any rate? Even at just 15 mpg, that would be at least 60 miles each way. And if you do have to drive that far, why use a truck. Add vehicle maintenance and depreciation, car insurance, etc that job is costing her probably $20k-25k/yr - post tax, or $25-$35k/yr pre-tax income.
Yeh, makes one wonder why Washington residents keep voting these green liberals back in office. But, no sympathy here. You deserve what you voted for.
Embrace the suck Sharon, you voted for it..
Great idea, this along with the new state kidnapping law this legislature concocted and the communist governor signed into law, it looks like the beginning of the leftards cannibalism of itself. They’ve run out of conservatives to feast upon.
The next step in their war upon the citizens has started. Because of their duplicitous actions concerning energy and the Constitutional Amendment Number V, the implementation of a pay by mile scheme is necessary because the greedy bastard state is not stealing enough LIFE’s ENERGY for road use fuel taxes. Something this Neeley the Crook advocates, with the more they push electric vehicles and artificially increasing fuel taxes.
The state has been trying to figure out how to implement a pay by mile scheme for 20+ years here in the Soviet of Washington. Now, since DJT induced mass insanity in all leftards, they are drunk on rage and have ripped off their cloak of supposed impartiality and are running top speed in their efforts to mimic the classic scene in Thelma and Louise. They’ve gone too far too quickly and they’ve woken the sleepy silent majority.
Most of this money is going to the Africans in Africa who have “suffered” from environmental crimes committed against them by the U.S. taxpayers. It isn’t going to do jack sh*t to help “da planet”. SARC/
$10,000 / year
_______
Well, she should walk or use a bike!
The government will surely get a bus line to her house too!
That’s the official woke solution to her problem.
Please, fight it before is too late!
A carbon tax without calling it a "carbon tax" or "carbon credit" because us conservatives have correctly called that out for the scam it is. Thus they have to call it "allowances".
Just like the RIN (Registered Identification Number) that oil refineries have to buy all across the country (federally required). It boils down to the refineries either having to pay the carbon tax, or offsetting it by buying fake carbon credits from companies like Tesla. Think of it as buying indulgences for the sin of providing transportation fuel to average American citizens. IIRC it's about 75 cents for every gallon --- a cost added onto consumers. So we're all paying a carbon tax for every gallon of gas we buy, on top of the usual gas taxes (I think it's 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax, plus in Alabama there's a 28 cents per gallon state gas tax = 46.4 cents gas tax plus the 75 cent carbon tax added to the price = $1.16 in taxes per gallon of gas). Obviously, based on this article, Washington state residents pay more tax than that for gas.
On top of that, in cold weather state of Washington I'd imagine EV's don't work very well for 4 or so months out of the year.
Women and children hardest hit.
“Historically, what you see is, over time, people buy more fuel efficient vehicles,” Neeley said. “They buy more hybrids, maybe they figure out how to make fewer trips.”
And if they’re stupid enough to believe that that will make the promulgators of these rules and laws happy, I have a gothic design bridge in Brooklyn that I can let go cheap.
A hidden tax revenue "enhancement" coming to your state soon.
$4.98 would make it $1.42 more expensive than national av as of today. Thr national av today is more than $1.42 more than when Trump was president. Where I live we are over $2 more per gallon than when Trump was president.
The left always brag that they are “for the little guy” but everytime they take over, the little folks suffer Badly. The left of course are liars, per usual
My wife (retired) and I (quasi-retired, working from home a lot) drive our main car 26K miles per year. At our current local gas prices ($3.259 per gallon, this is in Alabama, not Washington state), and if we still drove mainly old used ICE cars getting 15 mpg, that'd be $5,648 per year. If we instead bought a new (or newer) car getting 30 mpg (think crossovers, not small cars) it'd be $2,824 per year.
My point is, the cost of gas impacts retirees who like to get out a lot. Especially us tall retirees (read: don't want a small car to squat a lot to get down into like a clown car, so we get crossovers or pickups, which means lower mpg).
Which is why when my wife's old used crossover was needing too many repairs a year ago and it was time to replace it, I replaced it with a new EV crossover. That's not a good fit for everybody. But with us driving 26K miles per year, and in the warm Alabama climate (read: not too cold for EV's around here or anywhere close enough for us to drive to instead of fly), the EV works fine for us.
I'd rather win the political battle against the Dims' stupid war on energy. However, I have my doubts if we can beat the vote fraud and put in someone like Trump again. And even if so, for how long? Thus, thinking long term I thought it was best for my wife and I if we cut our energy costs without reducing our lifestyle. That seems to work for us.
If we were under trump presidency right now, the cost of 125 fillups would be only around roughly $4000 or so- depending on where one lives.
Ain’t bidenomics grande? We get to spend twice as much for the same amount, and he gets to lie and say his financial agenda is working marvelously
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