The federal gas tax hasn’t been raised in 25 years.

Re “How much are you paying in taxes and fees for gasoline in California?” (March 12): The tax code is a good tool to encourage positive and discourage negative behaviors.

Given the obvious need to discourage the burning of fossil fuels, gasoline taxes/fees should be increased by 20 cents per year for the next 10 years. That would pretty much catch us up with the rest of the world.

Meanwhile, it would gradually drive down negative behavior by encouraging people to simply put more emphasis on fuel-efficient vehicles when they replace their current models. By then, electric vehicles will be cost-competitive and we can all switch.

Gery Katona
Escondido

Thanks for the excellent article on gasoline taxes and fees we pay. What isn’t mentioned is that the federal gas tax hasn’t been raised in 25 years and its purchasing power has fallen significantly. This has caused most states to increase gas taxes to provide funds for the maintenance of roads and bridges without which our transportation systems would fall apart.

Also not mentioned is the significant harm to our environment caused by automobile exhaust and the process of extraction, transportation, and refining of oil for use as gasoline. Yes, we have enjoyed it, but now we are beginning to pay a heavy price for environmental damage, including the climate crisis with its increasing extreme weather.

We need to implement a “carbon fee and dividend” program that incentivizes reduction in fossil fuel use and helps families with a monthly payment to smooth the transition to a cleaner transportation future.