Skip to Content
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Streetsblog Los Angeles home
Log In
Car Culture

How Much Would You Actually Save With a Gas Tax “Holiday”?

bridge_collapse.jpg
Drivers depend on gas tax revenue almost as much as they depend on gas.

The folks at Jabberwonk have put together a simple gas tax "holiday" calculator. Enter your car's fuel efficiency and the miles you expect to drive, and the calculator spits out how much you would save this summer if the gas tax were suspended.

The formula assumes that the full 18.4 cents per gallon will be passed on to the consumer, an outcome most economists view as extremely unlikely. Even so, it's difficult to come up with a scenario in which someone would save more than $100. But if you own a 16 mpg SUV and commute 50 miles each way, and drive 800 miles (roundtrip) for your vacation, that would do it. More likely, typical savings would work out to about $18 (and for many readers of this blog, probably zero).

Meanwhile, not content to let the gas tax holiday remain a pocketbook pander for the campaign trail, Hillary Clinton says she's going to put the question to Congress. Is it savvy politics to keep this idea in the news cycle -- running contrary to the experts' consensus -- or will voters sniff out a gimmick?

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog Los Angeles

Streetsblog Mourns the Passing of Donald Shoup

Rest in peace, Professor Shoup. Your memory will always be a blessing and your legacy will live for generations

February 8, 2025

Friday News Bits: Measure HLA, Metro Grants, and CicLAvia

Next week Measure HLA implementation documents face a city council committee meeting - plus new Metro MAT bike/walk grant cycle announced, and a new April CicLAvia map

February 7, 2025

In LA, it’s one crisis after another — and she can’t catch a break.

From the pandemic to the housing crisis to the wildfires, Wendy Lopez is among those caught in a cycle making it impossible to recover

February 7, 2025

SGV Connect 133: Introducing StreetSmart

Have you checked out StreetSmart? Here's some clips from our first three episodes.

February 6, 2025
See all posts