Reality Check: Who’s To Blame For High Gas Prices?

"BLOG"

05/09/2008

Reporting
Pat Kessler
WCCO News



(WCCO) All consumers are looking at ways to save on gasoline. Record high prices are one of America's biggest worries. So who's to blame? A new Minnesota Republican TV ad says it's the Democrats' fault.

Minnesota Republicans pack a lot of information in a new 15-second gas tax ad. And while there is a lot of information, most of it is misleading.

"You pay. They pump," said the ad's announcer. "Who's to blame for higher gas prices? It's the Democrats in the State Capitol."

That's a DISTORTION.

Minnesota 's 20-cent a gallon gas tax went up 2 cents on April 1, but the average gas price since then is up 33 cents. It's a record at $3.48 a gallon: that's the 33-cent increase and a 2-cent gas tax hike.

"They just pumped up the gas tax by 42 percent," said the ad announcer. "Pumped up sales taxes, too."

That's just MISLEADING.

This is the first gas tax hike in 20 years to fix roads and bridges. It will go up in phases over four years with 2 cents now, 2-and-a-half-cents in September. And by 2012 it will be up to 3-and-a-half cents more.

What you NEED TO KNOW about the sales tax:

The sales tax is not on gasoline. It was all part of a big transportation bill that allowed metro counties to vote on raising their sales taxes by one-quarter of a penny to pay for light rail and bus transit.

The REALITY is this:

Republicans are blaming Democrats for the tax hikes but the fact is it was Republicans who made it possible. Six Republicans joined all the Democrats to override the governor's gas tax veto.