Let gas stations advertise per gallon price without taxes included

Why not? Every day we buy products like computers, clothing, and cups of coffee where the advertised price does not include sales tax. Advertisements for rental cars and hotels don’t include taxes either. I guess airline tickets do include taxes … not sure why gas and airline tickets are different than everything else.

I understand sales tax is a bit different than the Connecticut gasoline tax (25 cents), gross receipts tax (7.26 percent) and the federal excise tax (18.4 cents), but people need to know today’s average price of $3.82 would be advertised at $3.32 plus state and federal tax. Four years ago gas in Connecticut was at a previous five year – for a short time – low of about $1.69 per gallon with the same tax rate giving us a price of $1.19 per gallon.

Would this change make a difference? I don’t think so, the price would be advertised and right next to the price it would say “plus tax.” They could even put a sticker detailing the taxes that need to be added. Adults should be able to add.

Interested in your thoughts as to why gasoline is advertised with price included (other than government mandates). How would that change the “psyche” of consumers that buy gas? Would it effect how some perceive “big oil?”

Discuss.

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Steve McGough

Steve's a part-time conservative blogger. Steve grew up in Connecticut and has lived in Washington, D.C. and the Bahamas. He resides in Connecticut, where he’s comfortable six months of the year.

10 Comments

  1. chetisyourbet on November 16, 2012 at 3:58 am

    The dumbed down educated masses can’t add so give them the final price at the pump so they can pay for it without having to add.



  2. DocD on November 16, 2012 at 8:47 am

    Steve, you’ve hit the nail on the head.? We look at those gas prices and think “Those evil, greedy,?heartless big oil companies gouging?the vulnerable populace” .??List the price without taxes,?fill up your car?and discover your cost is 15% more than the listed price and our?opinion as to who’s doing the gouging would certainly change.?Can you say “Evil, greedy, heartless big government”??



  3. Murphy on November 16, 2012 at 8:57 am

    I have an old gas topper (the price on top the pump) from the early 70’s when I worked as a gas jockey and we had price wars. It listed price / federal / state back then, did it become illegal to list it that way or was it just stopped when prices and taxes changed every day?



  4. JBS on November 16, 2012 at 9:19 am

    Gub’mint economists don’t want you realizing that about $.50 per gallon is added tax.
    Malloy will soon realize that he could whack every purchase with a 6.35% sales tax. Liberals would get downright giddy thinking of all the revenue that would produce.

    Another $0.24257/ gallon! Don’t tell DanL P!
    Your $3.82 /gallon gas would suddenly become $4.06/gallon. There’s some extra decimal places floating around. Don’t worry, the cents do add up.
    ?



  5. JBS on November 16, 2012 at 9:31 am

    Whenever I fill up, I always think that the prices are high because of all the government costs of regulations and taxes added. I never think about “greedy, big oil.”
    If you have ever been around wells, transporting oil, or refineries, you would know that it stinks. Really badly.
    Personally, I am glad that there are people who do that for a living. I wouldn’t want to be around all of that gunk and smell. Others who want to bitch about “evil oil,” don’t buy the product.
    Let’s work on getting the taxes repealed or lowered on all products and services. The real problem is the size of government.



  6. Plainvillian on November 16, 2012 at 9:55 am

    How about the price displayed with the taxes listed at least as boldly as the final price?? Shouldn’t Governor Dannel PEEEEE Malloy be proud to have taxes and surcharges listed prominently?



  7. Dimsdale on November 16, 2012 at 10:15 am

    I know some stations used to have a price breakdown sticker on the pumps many moons ago (that’s for you Fauxcohontas!), probably to PO the truckers, but I haven’t seen any lately.



    • Lynn on November 16, 2012 at 2:54 pm

      Do you think Fauxcohontas can add? ?Who does she think built up the price of ?gas?



  8. lpalshaw on November 16, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    Growing up in Connecticut in the 50’s and 60’s the price placard on the gas pump showed the price for gas in large print and in smaller print below was the federal tax and state tax. As I remember it The state government claimed showing the the price of gas in larger print was misleading to the public so the government outlawed the display of the taxes and required the only price that could be displayed was the total price. My guess is that if someone did a search of the consumer protection laws you would find it is still illegal to display the cost of gas taxes on the pump



  9. yeah on November 19, 2012 at 4:08 pm

    This is a great idea, then all the people that dont pay attention to anything will actually have a math lesson they cant avoid.
    ?
    ewww, math!!!!



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