Guest sixpack2639 Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Report it here. http://gaswatch.energy.gov/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Old Guy Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 The Governor of Michigan addressed this problem yesterday, and the price went from $3,49 to $2.99 a gallon in one day in our area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Stoneberg Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 We had a grocery chain, Safeway, who the day after the storm hit, went up to 3.31. After TV and radio people blasted them and the Attorny general spoke to them, their stations were still empty. I guess everyone going across the street to Shell finally made a difference because they are now down with the rest of the stations.If they're gouging you, dont buy it... They will fall in line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika Jaakkola Posted September 4, 2005 Share Posted September 4, 2005 Do you guys wanna know how much 1 litre (1/4 gallon) gas costs in Finland now? about 2 dollars!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reatta Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 Think your gas is expensive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ZondaC12 Posted September 5, 2005 Share Posted September 5, 2005 HAHA thats better than the one with "arm" and "leg" and "your first born" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlK Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Mika:I do not mean to be-little your situation in Finland, but personally I have never quite grasped this arguement. The cost of a gallon of gas in Venezuala is $.14. Should they pay $2, $3, $4, or more a gallon? I don't think so. It seems to me that they have learned how to do things. They set aside what they need for themselves and export the excess. They don't sell every drop that they pull out of the ground and then import foreign oil for their needs. It is a shame that there is not oil underneath every country but that's where the dinosaurs crumbled I guess. But I still don't get the arguement that if country A is paying high prices then every other country has to pay the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't it all depend on how much tax a country puts on top of the actual price of gas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlK Posted September 6, 2005 Share Posted September 6, 2005 I don't know if I would go so far as to say it ALL depends on that. True that is a part of it, but I do not think the biggest part. Here in the USA I think the federal tax is $.18, but don't quote me. Maybe the venezualens are not as anxious to kill the golden egg laying goose as we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL) Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 I wonder does Finland have socialized medicine? Or do they pay $200-300/month for health insurance (not to mention probably that much more that our employers kick in) in addition to their $8/gallon gas. Give me an extra $600 a month in my paycheck and I'll pay $8/gallon for gas.Comparing gas here to gas elsewhere is like comparing apples to oranges. In large US cities, there are mass transit systems just like in Europe. But in smaller towns, there are no buses, much less trains. We have no choice but to drive. Could we drive smaller, more fuel efficient cars? Absolutely! But I doubt seriously I will ever see a commuter train in South Georgia. There's just not enough people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave@Moon Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 This exact subject came up in the BCA Thread GAS, so just how much are you paying in June. I posted this on that thread: <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Looking online I found that the average individual Finnish total tax burden is 46.5% of income. The U.S. average is 29.1% of income, plus an average additional 10.1% for state and local taxes, the total amounting to 39.2% overall. Therefore the taxes spent in Finland on gas are likely offset to a degree (there's still a 7% difference) by other taxes that are lower. Also those taxes buy you things that many of us can only dream of, like doctors in many cases. The 7% more in taxes you spend beats the 12%+ we spend in health insurance and uninsured health costs, <span style="font-style: italic">and that's only if we're in <span style="font-weight: bold">average</span> health!</span> Sickness causes more bankruptcies here than any other single cause.Finland's looking better all the time! </div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika Jaakkola Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 OK, hey, we could compare what average stuff costs here in Finland... ;-)Like a bottle of Jack Daniels Blavk Label Whisky 0.7 litres: 43 USDA new 2005 Chrysler 300 with hemi engine? Guess !!?!?!: 104 000 USD (YES!!!)1 litre milk: 1.23 USDA bottle of Coca Cola 1.5 litres: 3 USDOne Big Mac meal (with fries and 0.3 litre coke) in MacDonalds about: 7.4 USDMotor Trend Classic -magazine:10.5 USD rent on my apartment 2 rooms + small kitchen, 44 m2 is 550 USD + water + eletric bills/monthStarting pay for average engineer(degree is bachelor of science in logistics, for example) is about 2600 USD/monthIf you have televison you have to pay 250 USD/year "television licence"What comes to insurances on cars we have to pay about 1000 USD(cars with over 3.5 litre engines) that covers only damages done to the other cars, if we hit something + we have to pay extra for "voluntary insurances", if our car burns etc etc. Then there's also + 100 USD/year/each car that we have to pay if our car is registered, it's called "car using payment" + we have to take our cars to inspected for every year + 40 USD/year. Of course we don't have road tolls, but our roads are in very bad condition because of our climate.I would gladly like to hear what those things cost in USA. We have, in Finland almost highest taxes in the world(atleast that's what people are talking about).In gas there's 65% tax. Yes, we have good social benefits, we do not need insurances if we get sick. Yes, that's a good thing, but there's always the darker side for that as well.If I would be unemployed I'll get about 1200 USD / month. Depends of course, what I have earned on previous years. I might get some help for paying the rent of my apartment. If I earn less that 700 USD/month. Don't shoot me, but do you guys understand HOW MANY people in Finland just live with these benefits and don't even want to go to work?!!?! I don't know BUT MANY!! There's MANY people that spend their rent money on liquors + who knows what, and you could always get more money from social centres.. !!My bigger brother moved to Florida over 10 years ago and he said that he will never come back. I guess he knows :-) Even though he's a pilot(yes, i believe that it's very hard to get a job in US nowadays) and had a cancer year ago. (he recovered).Little bit out of topic, but just to let you guys know.Gas, 1/4 gallon cost about 0.86 USD in 1998 in Finland.PS. I never ment that because we pay this high, you have to pay it as well. No, I ment that you should be happy with your prices ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika Jaakkola Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Is the state and local taxes something you have to pay for every item you get out from a store? like sales tax? In Finland we have to pay 22% that ... For every item or service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL) Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Your gas has doubled since '98. Ours has tripled. As a matter of fact, it has doubled in the past year. I suppose it all comes down to what percentage of your paycheck you are used to having to spend on gas and what percentage you have to pay now. I can reduce the number of trips I make to the store and restaurants, but it is still 44 miles one way to work for me. I can't change that. I have to pay whatever they charge. They have us over a barrel and they know it.Thank God all the farmers are not conspiring to stick it to us. All they would have to do is get together and all of them promise not to sell for less than their neighbor. We'd have to pay them whatever they want just to have something to eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL) Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Mike, I forgot to answer your question about taxes. The federal government charges income tax on the money you make. It is taken out of you paycheck by your employer and sent in to the government. At the end of the year you settle up. If you paid in too much, they will give you a refund for the difference. If you paid in too little, you have to send them a check (and a penalty, if the difference is too great). Some states and some cities work the same way. Then there are taxes you pay annually based on the value of your home and car. Then there is sales tax (state and local) on most things you buy. Some things are exempt. In my state, groceries have a reduced amount of sales tax. Services are usually exempt. The rate varies from town to town. It is 7% where I live. I've seen it be over 10% in some places. At 22% sales tax, do you also have an income tax? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AlK Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Mika:I can agree and understand with just about everything you said and pointed out except the last line. I don't feel that we should be happy about paying higher prices for anything. This country was founded on (among other things) cheap energy and cheap labor. Granted prices have to go up, that is the price we all have to pay for progress, but to be happy with a bunch of greedy BILLIONAIRES lining their pockets while we have to struggle just to make ends meet is just not acceptable. I always dreamed of the day that I would be making what my wife and I are making together, but the dream is hollow because some greedy corporate CEO has to have another billion dollars in his pocket so he can feel safe and comfortable. I do like the idea of your countries health care system though. That is the one area where we are lagging far behind. Someone commented that Finland is looking better all the time, sorry, can't agree with that either, they have snow, evil disgusting substance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mika Jaakkola Posted September 7, 2005 Share Posted September 7, 2005 Yes, average income tax is about 50% in Finland.AIK, I'm sorry I said that with Of course, I'll understand, in every country if prices go up FAST everybody are unhappy, at that's the right way.US has always looked like the land of low priced gas and a dream country to own a car,a BIG engined car, for the guys who lives in Europe. Thrust me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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