Last Wednesday the proposed 5 cent tax on diesel fuel was discussed during the (Pershing) Commissioner’s Meeting.
Some felt the tax is unfair, a 5 cents per gallon county tax on diesel fuel when the Federal, State and County fuel taxes currently are 51 cents for diesel and 50 cents gas; which includes the 9 cents per gallon tax for Pershing County road projects currently paid here in (Pershing) county.
Gas taxes: Federal 18 cents, State 23 cents, Pershing County 9 cents {Washoe’s Producer Price Index (PPI) 30 cents}
Diesel taxes: Federal 24 cents, State 27 cents, Pershing County none {Washoe’s Producer Price Index (PPI) 29 cents}
January 23rd AAA had Washoe County gas at $3.17 compared to Pershing County at $3.05 which doesn’t reflect a 30 cent tax difference.
Nor does the Washoe price for diesel at $3.22 compared to Pershing County at $3.26 also doesn’t reflect a 29 cent tax difference.
Washoe’s Producer Price Index (PPI) is 30 cents for gas and 29 cents diesel. In other words, the price of diesel isn’t guaranteed to go up by 5 cents.
What wasn’t identified was the revenue increase that would come with a 5 cent tax on diesel fuel.
That should be greater than $543,460 not including the $60,384 IFTA/Truck Parking for a total of $603,844 based on Fiscal Year 17-18 when 12,076,885 gallons of diesel was sold in Pershing County.
Pershing County could have over ½ Million ($500,000) for the modest increase of a 5 cents per gallon of diesel fuel tax.
