10% sales tax and now this...

[mklotz]

Yes, everything (and everyone) is higher in California.  We now have the dubious distinction of having the highest gas prices in the nation...

http://tinyurl.com/8m6y84k

I know our European and Australian members would probably kill for prices that low but for us it's a real kick in the ...

The only thing good about it is the fact that it might keep some of the yuppie trucks (SUVs) off the road for a while.

Ah well, could be worse.  I could be living in Taxachusetts.

[AussieJimG]

That terrible Marv, I really feel for you.

If it goes any higher, it won't be worth importing at USPS prices.

Jim

[fcheslop]

Bargan fill it up while you can try ?1.34per litre

[Raggle]

But you still have all that free sunshine for your solar PV installations  -  here in UK we had all ours stolen this "summer"

Ray

[Bogstandard]

Marv,

I noticed on that article that the prices do eventually fall to somewhat lower figures, depending on the cost of crude.

Here in the UK, that very rarely happens, it just keeps going up whenever someone adds a bit more tax or wants to screw us for more money.

They don't call the UK 'treasure island' for nothing, no wonder US businesses are buying up all our companies, they can make greater profits over here, knowing we can do nothing about it when they hike up prices.


John

[Maryak]

yuppie trucks (SUVs)

Just to add to the above, here they are known as Toorak Taxis or Mums with Muscle.

Toorak is a posh Melbourne suburb and it's all about ferrying the yuppy puppies around.

Best Regards
Bob

PS in South Oz, we have the highest electricity prices and the highest water prices 31c/kWh and $3.10/kl. Our state government just spent  1.8 Billion on a desal plant which has never worked, never performed to spec and now they are mothballing it to "SAVE MONEY."

$US4.61/USG = $AU1.20/litre, no where near the difference it used to be, we average $AU1.40/litre

[steamer]

Here is Taxachusetts it's about $3.87/gallon.....and I drive a 4x4....but I use it...for real.
I hear carmageddon is coming again Marv....get the mixer fired up!

Dave

[Pete49]

I could understand the 10% tax etc if California or the USA had a pension and hospital system as in Australia as in the end it has to be paid for but in your case Marv I can see why you are angry.
Pete

[Jo]

But you still have all that free sunshine for your solar PV installations  -  here in UK we had all ours stolen this "summer"

Ray

Hey, if my ?2K feed in tariff they paid for me for my solar generation this year was poor, bring on a sunny year

However Diesel is now ?1.44 a litre down south, if I could find it at ?1.34 I would be very happy. What does annoy me is how the government charges VAT on their fuel duty. 

Jo

[tel]

I'm not even gonna comment! $20 to fill a 10 litre container for the mowers here today.

[Raggle]

Hey, if my ?2K feed in tariff they paid for me for my solar generation this year was poor, bring on a sunny year

Indeed, Jo  -  Ours hasn't been quite as much as that but the 2700 Kw/hrs we generated for the first full year (autumn equinox to the next) has certainly been sufficient to cover our gas consumption as well. I don't expect to lose my ?200 a year senior citizens' heating grant as a result.

Our south facing roof was a perfect candidate and the ?12k was doing badly just sitting in the bank. But I always felt this subsidy was going to be paid by consumers, still of working age, who were not so well blessed.

But of course, living in Mid Wales, I am confident all will be well when we've covered this area with wind farms and pylons.    ... and talking of subsidies ...

Ray

[Raggle]

I couldn't find a way to link to the report itself as it came up as a .pdf only, but this page tells all

http://junkscience.com/2012/03/06/new-report-economic-analysis-reveals-wind-power-worse-than-a-mistake/

Hell in a handcart, I tell ye

Ray

[ScroungerLee]

When I had my Ford F250 I used for work it had twin gas tanks. Just over 20 gallons each iirc.  That would make it around $160 to fill up at these prices.  Glad I got rid of the truck once I stopped my mobile auto repair business.  It got 8 mpg highway, and just about 0 mpg snow plowing.

To put it another way, I could fill both tanks or else buy one of those 4x6 horizontal band saws on sale.

Lee

[fcheslop]

Hi Lee, I know that feeling only too well its costing me ?300 plus a week for derv over here and crippling me into the bargain and most of it tax

[Captain Jerry]

When I was a kid in my '50 Merc V8 Flathead, I could just barely get $5 worth of gas in the tank.  It would be a lot easier to do that today.  On the other hand, the $5 was damned hard to come by.

[zeeprogrammer]

I couldn't break $2 to fill my tank.
But that was during the 'gas wars' when gas was 9 to 11 cents a gallon.
A stupid time...but a great time.

[ScroungerLee]

9 to 11 cents?  Wow you must be OLD 

My first gas purchases of my first car were a pricey 36 cents per gallon.  But gas was particularly cheap at that station, no doubt because it was mostly water.  My VW Bug didn't seem to mind though.

Lee

[zeeprogrammer]

9 to 11 cents?  Wow you must be OLD 

Getting there.
1969-1970 during high school. As I said...a stupid time...but a great time. 
I don't know if the gas wars were local, state-wide or across the nation.

I was driving a 65 VW Beetle at the time. I do miss that car.
6V system. Had to add a bump-up converter to play my 8-track.
Then tied a pencil to the 8-track's solenoid cause there wasn't enough power to change tracks if I was driving slow.

[Don1966]

Wasn't those days great, you could take your girlfriend out on the town put $5.00 wourth of gas in your car drive all night long and still have money in your pocket.
Carl I had an 8 track tape in my car also. We had mag wheels on the car and 8 track tapes, what a time we had. Take your girl to the nearest drive in and talk to the gang, or go to the drive in picture show.

Now all we have is high price of gas and taxes that just don't quite,and they want to tax us some more.
Power companies don't take losses, phone companies don't talk losses, insurances companies don't take losses. Now Banks don't take losses and corporations don't take losses. They pass it down to us. Where will it end. Seems all the Politications want to do now days is spend our money or take it. Then raise taxes to get more from us.
  

Don

[Captain Jerry]

Back to the good old days.

Gas      $.25 /gal
Milk      $.99 /gal
Beer   $1.99 / case
McDonald's  3 course meal $ .45   hamburger  $.15  milkshake $.15  fries  $.15
Rent   $200 /mo
Air Conditioning - Ha Ha Ha . . . . Ho ho Ho...
TV        3 channels black and white
Football   One League NFL
Baseball  Two league  16 teams
New Car  $2,200
Movies Ticket    $ .30  Local   $1 downtown  popcorn $.10
Annual salary  $5,500

Making ends meet was still tough and there wasn't as much fun to be had.  I can remember serving frozen Kool-Ade to guests.  My generation was the first to escape the dread of Polio but I didn't away free. One year in bed when I was 5/6 yrs old.  I was living within sight of the Pentagon during the Cuban missile crisis, and I was living in Greensboro NC when some kids from A&T made national headlines and brought out the National Guard by sitting at the counter in Woolworth's and ordering a coke.  I was pulled over on an Interstate Hwy in South Carolina, after midnight, by a State Trooper because my company car had District of Columbia tags and he just wanted to know if I was a "Government man."  Fortunately it was in a rural county where my ancestors had owned property and were farmers for over 200 years and my unusual last name is on a lot of street signs and is still recognized as local.

All in all, life is a lot easier today for me, and my kids, and my grand kids, and my great grand kids than it was 60 years ago.  The world is a lot safer place and the future is just as bright if not brighter.   I truly do not mind paying my fair share.

Jerry