Raising gas tax bad idea

When Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. first took office he wanted to do away with the food tax because it taxed the poor disproportionately. He was right. Unfortunately, the Republican leadership didn't support cutting the food tax. Now the governor is talking about raising the gasoline tax. It is bad for the same reason the food tax is bad.

Energy taxes, like food taxes, affect the lower income families disproportionately because they spend a higher portion of their income on energy. Heat, light and transportation are inelastic goods.

It is not surprising that this stuff always comes out after the elections are over.

William Berge

Murray