Webloggin » Hidden Taxes and Your Vote

According to gasbuddy the national average price of gas has increased 35.2 cents over the last year. Despite that increase the federal government has done nothing to alleviate the cost to consumers.

In November of 2006 the IRS released the new rate for business miles expenses, increasing the allowance from 44.5 cents by a paltry 3 cents to 48.5. So while gas increased by an average of 12.2% for 35.2 cents the government increased the allowance for gas and maintenance by an anemic 6.7%.

In Illinois consumers are taxed by one of the highest gas tax rates in the country. This includes a 6.25% sales tax followed by an additional tax that is considered as a windfall tax by all but the people in the government that have their hands in the Illinois consumer pocket. In total Illinois consumers pay 37.4 cents per gallon in taxes for gas and 45.6 cents in taxes for diesel which of course is passed onto the consumer because diesel prices are directly tied to the supply chain for goods and services. Other states follow suit.

Of course most people aren’t aware of these taxes because the government forces gas stations to include the tax in the at the pump price. When was the last time you saw gas advertised as $3.276 + tax for the grand total of $3.65 per gallon? You don’t, and that is the plan.

Perhaps it would be better for voters to bring a tax cheat sheet to the voting booth with them in 2008. The government is the biggest deterrent to growing wealth and the Democrats are attempting to raise taxes at a record rate once again. This is just another example of the government working for itself. Isn’t it about time to bring the government back to the people?