Real World Reactions
“I am sick and tired of the government thinking they can tax their way out of everything. We need tax cuts, not more taxes. This is not the government’s money but ours and they need to be held to
account for every cent.”
Merrill S., Hooper, Nebraska
“The higher energy costs of not only gasoline, but electricity and natural gas, have caused all prices to climb. It has personally caused me to rethink my retirement date. I had planned to retire shortly after I turned 62 years of age, but may have to wait to see how energy will continue to affect the stock market.”
Donald M., Abilene, TX
Agriculture
White Sulfur Springs, MT
Jamie Doggett is a Meagher County Commissioner and works with her husband, Jock, on their cattle and sheep ranch at Camas Creek. Jamie has worked in and around Montana state politics for two decades. She is also a leader in the humanities community in Montana.
“When fuel prices go up – all my costs go up. Feed. Operating equipment. Bringing cattle to market. When fuel prices spike because of new taxes – farmers and ranchers get squeezed even harder.”
Business
Bill Penn Miles City, MT Bill Penn is the President of Energy Links, Inc., an energy consultancy firm based in Miles City. Prior to his work in private sector energy development, he was the Butte-Silver Bow Economic Development Director in Butte, MT. “Montana’s economy has been outpacing what the rest of the country has been seeing. But new energy taxes will affect our employment situation. Energy jobs will be lost – and the rest of our economy will feel the impact. It’s just not what Montana can afford right now, while the U.S. economy is so fragile.”
Retiree
Helena, MT
Linda served as Commissioner of Political Practices for Governor Marc Racicot, a position she held for eight years. She is now retired from state government, and still resides in Helena.
“So many of our public employees – our teachers and foremen and police – have pensions that invest in American energy companies. New energy taxes would take a bite out of their retirements, plain and simple.”
Sign Up for Email Updates
View our partner website where you can join the more than 47,000 people who have petitioned Congress to vent about gas prices and the need to reduce energy taxes. While there, you can see where your gasoline dollar goes, and view a map showing how much of the US is closed to oil exploration.