Gas Tax

There is a continuing discussion about possible changes in the federal or state gasoline tax (as for example your article “State Business, Political Leaders Oppose Hike in Federal Gas Tax,” Part I, Jan. 31). The following historical perspective on fuel cost may be useful to those who must grapple with this complicated issue. If you take into account the improving miles per gallon of modern cars and the varying price of gasoline, and deal in inflation-corrected dollars, you find that 20 years ago you paid more than twice as much as now for the fuel to power a typical car a given distance. Forty years ago the cost was almost triple today’s cost, and 60 years ago almost quadruple.

PAUL M. MacCREADY

Monrovia