President Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for three months in hopes of saving Americans about 18 cents per gallon at the pump.
Larry Booker, a minister traveling by vehicle across the country, said he decided to take his own vehicle because he believes the airline and rental car industry are becoming hectic and costly.
“In my trip so far it’s been $1500 just on gas,” Booker said.
“Why don’t we just reestablish the pipeline system? Why don’t we just go back to where the nation was producing all of its needs itself? We were not relying on any other nation as far as for what we had. Why don’t we do that, if we could do that,” Booker said.
“It took me 90 dollars to fill up just half a tank, he added.
Dr. Kam Movassaghi, head of DOTD and professor at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, UL, argues the gas tax exemption is a political move that could hurt infrastructure improvement funds.
“The Federal Gasoline tax generates about 43 billion dollars a year. And that’s the money that is spent maintaining the interstate system. So when that $43 billion a year is not there. Where is that money going to come from? Are we going to borrow money?,” Movassaghi said.
The United States has over 160 highways and interstates that are funded through the gas tax, according to Mavassaghi
He said the state gas tax would remain in place, however, when funding roadway projects federal funding could be difficult to receive potentially affecting people in Acadiana.
“In Acadiana, one of the projects that I’ve worked on and a lot of people are working on is I-49/Evangeline thruway. We still don’t have its improvements. That’s part of the interstate system. One of these days it will get built. And when it gets built where’s the money going to come from,” Movassaghi said.
Movassaghi suggests locals should continue to monitor their expenses.
“Do away with the unnecessaries, and stay with the absolute bare minimum of necessities. And hopefully and the economy grows and inflation gets lower. Then we’ll have more money for spending,” Movassaghi said.
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