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Richard Piatt reporting In spite of rapidly rising prices at the pump, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. is not pushing for a quick fix. Huntsman says he does not support a "holiday" from the state gas tax.
The governor is very open and honest about the gas price situation: He thinks it's outrageous. And today he said alternative fuels may be the answer in the long run. But in the meantime, he says he is against a state gas tax "holiday."
Presidential candidates John McCain and Hillary Clinton both have said they support a federal gas tax "holiday" this summer.
The state's portion of the gas tax is 24 and a half cents right now. Huntsman says putting it on hold would create more problems than it solves.
Overall, he feels people in Utah have reached the breaking point. He says a lot of families are ready to take drastic measures and try something else.
"This is outrageous. And to think we may be near $4 a gallon soon, and beyond. It's beyond the point where people are saying, 'I'm not going to take it any more, I'm going to take public transportation, I'm going to commute less,'" he said.
The governor made his comments at his monthly KUED news conference today. His state vehicle, a Suburban, is a converted natural gas vehicle which runs on fuel that costs 65 cents a gallon. The first lady drives a hybrid car.
Gov. Huntsman talked about using a variety of resources in the long run that are plentiful in this state. Oil shale, wind, sun, and possibly nuclear power are all worth looking into, he says.
E-mail: rpiatt@ksl.com
