Bloomberg Says Summer Gas Tax Holiday is the ‘Dumbest Thing’
NEW YORK — Mayor Michael Bloomberg called a summer-long suspension of the gas tax favored by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican John McCain a dumb idea.
The New York mayor, who flirted with the idea of an independent presidential bid, praised Democrat Barack Obama for opposing the plan to suspend the 18.4 cent federal gas tax and 24.2 cent diesel tax during the peak driving months of the summer.
All three candidates covet Bloomberg’s endorsement. The mayor has spoken highly of Obama and McCain in introducing the two at recent events in New York.
Speaking to reporters at City Hall, Bloomberg said of the gas tax holiday, “It’s about the dumbest thing I’ve heard in an awful long time, from an economic point of view. We’re trying to discourage people from driving and we’re trying to end our energy dependence … and we’re trying to have more money to build infrastructure.”
He cited those three reasons for opposing the gas tax holiday favored by McCain and Clinton. Obama has said the savings would not be significant for the average individual, and Bloomberg agreed.
“The 30 bucks is not going to change anybody’s lifestyle,” he said. “The billions of dollars that we would otherwise have in tax revenues can make a big difference as to what kind of a world we leave our children.”
The billionaire mayor said in February that he had decided not to run for president but has dangled the possibility of his endorsement. The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent has ties to all three candidates.
The ones that actually think that they will get that $30 are living in a dream world. The demand for gas would go up. The oil companies would raise their prices accordingly. Think about it for a second instead of just reacting because the politican that you are backing is for it. It not even a short term solution because you wouldn’t see that $30! Plus —– you are all forgetting —– Clinton and McCain are running for the presidency right now; they do not have the power to suspend the federal gas tax this summer so it is all pandering anyway.
The federal gov’t is collecting PLENTY of revenue right now.. The problem is that none of the politicians are responsible about how it is spent.. If all the federal gas-tax money was being spent (as was first promised) on transportation infrastructure then the roads and bridges would all be 1st Class condition and there would even be a surplus.. The politicians always find a way of re-directing specific tax monies and spending it away.. It makes no difference what party is in office or what kind of shape the economy is in; the politicians are going make sure the tax monies get spent …