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  • May 7, 2008 11:36 pm US/Central
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Reality Check: Who's To Blame For High Gas Prices?

Reporting
Pat Kessler
(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.

That's Reality Check.

To check the resources for this Reality Check click on the links below.
House Republican Campaign Committee
Minnesota Gas Prices: Historical Gas Price Charts
Fuel Gauge Report for Minnesota
House, Senate Override A Pawlenty Veto For The First Time

 

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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