I don’t understand the hate on cutting the gas tax, the hst increase on gas prices has outweighed it and the cut does help people
The Gas tax cut is offensive insofar as, its expensive, costing the government a great deal of money, meanwhile we see hospitals starved of resources and social assistance rates increasing below inflation when they were already anemic.
That same reasoning would work for opposing corporate tax reduction, personal income tax reduction, sales tax reduction etc.
When you don't have enough money for important priorities giving away more seems foolish.
The second problem with the gas tax reduction is that it isn't particularly good at combating inflation, or its worst effects. Inflation, gratuitous price hikes aside, is a function of demand exceeding supply. So you don't want to give people who have money to spend, more money; that simply gooses inflation.
What you want is two things, first to help those in greatest need, who literally don't have enough for the basics, that would surely start with people who can't afford a car............... but you also want to reward savings and penalize conspicuous consumption, particularly in sectors that are experiencing inordinate inflation.
Finally, you want to avoid negative implications from any policy move, where practical. Lowering the cost of filling a gas tank, by nature, makes driving more attractive, particularly of ICE-based cars (as opposed to electric).
It would be more logical to take the exact same sum of money and temporarily lower transit fares as this would reduce costs disproportionately for lower income earners, is less likely to drive needless consumption, promotes ecologically sustainable behavior and combats the cost of inflation.
Put simply, its bad public policy. ( said a by a car owner, and driver)