Ask Seattlest: What the Hell is the Deal with Gas Prices?

Jeremy I have 33,173,092 reasons for you in 2005 campaign contributions alone why the big evil republicans think Big Oil is A-OK.

Even if we had a lower state gas taxes we would still be paying through the nose at the pump but we need the state gas tax because we have a regressive state sales tax and no state wide income tax.

"Why is gas so expensive here in Washington?" Perhaps because the state's gasoline tax is relatively high.

In fact, the states you mentioned in response to the question "We pay more?" are among the states with the highest state gas taxes.

Hawaii, 41.7 cents per gallon; California, 41.6 cents; Nevada, 33.5 cents; Washington, 31 cents; New York, 44.5 cents.

Among the lowest: Alaska, eight cents per gallon; Wyoming, 14 cents; New Jersey, 14.5 cents; Oklahoma, 17 cents; New Mexico, 18 cents.

(This info is from the American Petroleum Institute: www.api.org)

I'm no anti-tax zealot. Just a factor I thought should be mentioned.

You all really think the big evil Republicans are to blame for high gas prices?

Here's what I think whenever I see someone filling up their big 'ol SUV"

"So, how'd voting for Bush work out for ya?"

What's the damn point of electing an oilman if he can't even get us cheap oil! Elect me, and I promise blogs will remain FREE forever!!!

Something tells me this is what happens when you elect an oil man and an energy man to run a country. Who woulda thunk?

Not that this really helps...but here is a search tool for finding the "best" gas prices locally:

http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx

Four of the five are in Whatcom County, and yet Whatcom County pays the highest gas prices in the state!

There are five refineries in our state:

look here

Anacortes is (or at least used to be) a Texaco refinery. Not only that, I believe that under law (Some Puget Sound protection act) the products it creates have to stay in the state.

Big Oil has gone one record and spend over 33.1 million in 2005 alone in campaign contribution kickbacks to the Republican congress and whitehouse. Purchasing the Republican party has been a very profitable investment for them.

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/11/big-oils-lobbying-efforts-pay-off/

Actually, there is a gasoline refinery at Cherry Point in Anacortes, but I'm not sure who owns it (I think maybe it's ARCO, since they offer the lowest prices in the area).

My solution was to purchase a 100 mpg motor scooter, so if gas goes up even further (which it will eventually anyway), it's still not going to make a big dent in my pocketbook.

Of course, I have to give up the $54 monthly bus pass to pay for it - tradeoffs, tradeoffs...

You can’t ignore the consumption trends. People are driving big ass cars all over that get really crappy mileage and it is driving up consumption. Then there is also the fact that the republican culture of corruption in congress will let the big oil companies do what ever the hell they want with no accountability or oversight. Also the years of Republican fiscal irresponsibility has devastated the dollar. We have a president and vice president that came from big oil and a party ruling congress that will do anything for corporate donations from big oil. So it is no surprise that big oil thinks it can do whatever the hell it wants since it now owns the Republican party.

Also if the main export of Iraq and Iran was hummus I doubt that we would be stuck in a bloody war in the region.