Lift the gas tax, save nothing
John McCain’s proposal to suspend the gas tax for between Memorial Day and Labor Day is stupid. The gas tax is currently 18 cents per gallon. Let’s say a family goes on vacation and travels 3000 miles (say from Seattle to San Diego and back). And say that family drives a mid-nineties minivan that averages 15 miles a gallon on their trip.
3000 miles divided by 15 equals 200 gallons. 200 gallons times 18 cents equals a savings of $36 if the gas tax is lifted.
So for a vacation, this family saved $36. Then say they still work the rest of the time. The period of time the tax is lifted is about 3 months, and a family will usually go through 10-15 gallons of gas which adds another 200 gallons, give or take. Add another $36 to your savings and you have $72.
Alternatively, the family could forgo the trip, choosing instead to save the hundreds of dollars spent on gas, food, and lodging by having a local vacation. A significant, if incidental, benefit is reduced emissions.