Letter: Double benefit from gas tax hike

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December 4, 2008

Anonymous The Salem News Thu Dec 04, 2008, 12:28 AM EST

To the editor:

House Speaker Sal DiMasi is absolutely on target when he suggests a gas-tax increase should be considered to pay transportation debts. That's a far fairer way to tax than to rely on a few toll roads going into Boston, a method that penalizes residents of the North Shore.

And now, with gas prices much reduced, it would be a far less painful way to raise the necessary revenue than most any other way.

The gas tax has another benefit, a benefit which is served the steeper the tax.

Painful as it is, our civilization has little survival chance unless we curb our carbon footprint. A gas tax forces us into more efficient vehicles and greater use of public transportation.

So it's a twofer.

Bill Wasserman

Ipswich

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