One potentially reckless reaction to the steep hike in fuel prices in the United States is a growing push by federal and state officials to reduce or suspend entirely the excise taxes on fuel.
The Associated Press reports that the call is coming from members of both parties. Thankfully, the chorus does not appear to include Mississippi so far.
Such cuts would be a bad idea. Fuel taxes have been too low for a long time, failing to provide enough revenue to maintain the nation’s roads and bridges. Cutting them, even if temporarily, sends a wrong message. Plus when it comes time to restore the taxes, that could turn into a political battle.
Besides, lower fuel taxes would reduce the incentive for motorists to think about ways to save on gas, such as driving more economical vehicles.
