Poll: Americans not revved up over increased gas taxes
April 22nd, 2013
08:34 AM ET
7 years ago

Poll: Americans not revved up over increased gas taxes




"It is not clear whether Americans' lack of support for this proposal stems from the type, amount, or purpose of the tax," says a release by Gallup. "Americans may be opposed to increasing the price of gas - a necessary commodity for many individuals - during a fragile economy, regardless of how the resulting funds are used."



- CNN Political Editor Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story.

Filed under: gas prices • Polls • Taxes
soundoff (17 Responses)
  1. Homer Simpson

    Repubs only have a 15% approval on this, yet its republican led states enacting this, more double speak. not suprised

    April 22, 2013 08:49 am at 8:49 am |
  2. HenryMiller

    Yeah, quit wasting money on welfare bums and use the savings to fix the roads.

    April 22, 2013 08:59 am at 8:59 am |
  3. S.B. Stein E.B. NJ

    I am all for an increase in the gas tax. We need it to help encourage people to buy more fuel efficient vehicles. It will also help maintain roads and bridges which Congress doesn't seem to think that maintaining those are important. Please remember that I drive back and forth to work everyday.

    April 22, 2013 09:04 am at 9:04 am |
  4. rs

    The TEA Party Republicans would tell you if you want good roads, you should pay for them. That means a tax, probably a gasoline/diesel or registration tax- something they despise. Therein lies the problem with the GOP. They are too beholdin' to rich creeps like Grover Norquist, and they don't want to offend their patron. Meanwhile, the GOP pushes toll roads (something the well-to-do will be able to afford), the rest of us will suffer on inferior roads.
    Such dichotomies are common for the GOP- and that's the problem- they no longer make any sense.

    April 22, 2013 09:14 am at 9:14 am |
  5. Bessy

    All I can say is that a new gas tax in the states would never go for bridge, road repair or mass transit . It would be used for other things like lining the pockets of our elected officials.

    April 22, 2013 09:20 am at 9:20 am |
  6. Lizzie

    High gas prices would be on the front page if a republican was President.

    April 22, 2013 09:43 am at 9:43 am |
  7. Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House

    Thank goodness for my Chevy Volt.

    April 22, 2013 09:52 am at 9:52 am |
  8. Fair is Fair

    I'm shocked, I tell you... shocked. Here's the reason, ok? It's because EVERYONE will have to pay it. Raising the taxes on the "wealthy" is oh so popular, but when it hits home, not so much, eh?

    April 22, 2013 09:56 am at 9:56 am |
  9. Mikey

    And when the roads are in complete disrepair or a bridge collapses, we get all the finger pointing and hand wringing. Roads, bridges, airports, air control systems, police, fire, schools, parks, disaster recovery, homeland security, military protection, and a thousand other things aren't free... and if we want quality, it isn't cheap, either. The something for nothing crowd isn't limited to the "mooching poor". A lot of middle class taxpayers, Conservatives, and even Teabaggers want to complain when they're not getting all the stuff they deserve and then complain even louder when the have to pay for it.

    April 22, 2013 11:24 am at 11:24 am |
  10. Thomas

    Less taxes , less regulations !

    If bridges fall down , go around them !

    April 22, 2013 11:28 am at 11:28 am |
  11. Tea Party Thomas

    I Pay to much in taxes now. Maybe the local government should cut the give a way programs before thinking about increasing gas taxes.

    April 22, 2013 11:31 am at 11:31 am |
  12. Wake up People!

    Gas is too damn high as it is.

    April 22, 2013 11:36 am at 11:36 am |
  13. SuperD

    The high gas prices you can lay at Obama's feet. He's plenty happy that they are high and the media refuse to report this (Lizzie, your comment was spot on).

    You see, the Liberals in this country don't like petroleum products, gas, oil. Since they don't like these things and they now are in power, they purposely make gas prices high because we lesser people need to be weaned off of fossil fuels. They want everyone to drive an electric car and they want everyone doing it NOW!

    Problem with this mindset, and Liberals in general, is that they are economic mental midgets. They don't understand that the market decides what fuels people want and can afford. If electric cars and hybrids were really the answer, then all the automakers would be making them over existing vehicles.

    Sad part is we are going to lose the Keystone pipeline and all the descent jobs associated with it. It's a no brainer for the administration to approve, but no....we're Liberals and we don't like fossil fuels, so we are going to remain in misery, because the Liberals have decided that the pipeline is bad, good jobs be damned!!

    April 22, 2013 11:51 am at 11:51 am |
  14. Jeff Brown in Jersey

    Since the Republicans block every attempt to fix our crumbling infrastructure, a gas tax is necessary. By the way, I work in mass transit construction and I know first hand that our railroads, tunnels and bridges are in dire need of repair or replacement.

    April 22, 2013 12:08 pm at 12:08 pm |
  15. Name lynn

    Money money gas prices is up already, now people talking cant please people nor the gas pump.

    April 22, 2013 12:19 pm at 12:19 pm |
  16. Larry

    In Michigan we cut taxes on business and raised revenue by upping the gas tax and registration tax and pension tax. The rich pay less in total taxes while the poor and working class pay more in taxes. Gotta love the GOP solution to raising revenues:)

    April 22, 2013 12:25 pm at 12:25 pm |
  17. Sara

    What a fraud! Who is actually naive and gullible enough to believe politicians are going to use extra revenue to fix roads? That scam has been pulled too many times already. Higher taxes go to pork spending, higher government worker pay, pensions for government workers, and to obscene perks for politicians themselves.

    The FAA could downsize their obscene payroll - like any private company. But the selfish government workers chose to inconvenience travelers instead. That's what government workers call "customer service"

    April 22, 2013 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |