"Christopher M. Jones" wrote in message
om...
(Alex Terrell) wrote in message
. com...
However, the article didn't pick up on the tax raising benefit. My
view is that if Governments have to raise money, better that they tax
undesirable things like pollution and congestion than desirable things
like income and profits.

Except that a gas tax is inflationary. It taxes shipping,
travel, electricity, heating, cooling. It adds to the
operating costs of, well, pretty much everyone, including
individuals and businesses. Which decreases discretionary
income and thus consumer spending. In short, it becomes a
de facto tax on income and profits.

A defacto tax on the income and profits of people and firms
that use (directly or indirectly) a lot of gas. Which
means that it is a defacto tax CUT on the income and profits
of those who structure their lifestyles and production
to use less gas. Which was the whole point.