US voters oppose raising energy taxes

Harris Interactive has conducted a poll for the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) ‘What America is Thinking on Energy Issues’ series.

‘Higher energy taxes hurt everyone,’ said API President and CEO Jack Gerard. ‘Americans know that driving up energy costs harms families and slows down job creation; a sentiment expressed across every political, age and gender line. Higher energy taxes are not a solution that will solve Washington’s budget problems.

‘Singling out specific companies or specific industries for tax increases is discriminatory, unfair, and simply bad public policy,’ said Gerard. ‘Today it's oil and natural gas, but who’s next? This is not how tax policy should be made. Americans get that raising taxes can increase their costs. We should focus on bringing down costs for energy consumers by approving the Keystone Pipeline, speeding up drilling permits, ending costly and unattainable ethanol mandates, and opening up some of the 83% of federal lands and waters that remain off limits.’

The results

• 77% of Virginia voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 88% of North Carolina voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 72% of New Mexico voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 77% of Montana voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 73% of Colorado voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 79% of Louisiana voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 76% of Maine voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.
• 77% of Arkansas voters believe Washington should resolve the country’s budget issues without raising taxes on energy.

Adapted from various press releases by Claira Lloyd.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/05042013/us_voters_oppose_taxes/