Taxing our patience

The new gasoline tax to be imposed on the coastal counties of Maine has me fuming. Cost at the pumps around January is due to rise 8-10 cents a gallon. After a few months they are going to generously be dropped back to only 2 cents more a gallon than they are now.

This new gasoline tax is mandated by the federal government. This is to help us correct our smog problem on the coast. Doesn’t most of our airborne pollution originate from out of state? Isn’t 75-90 percent of our airborne pollution brought to us on wind currents from states to the south and west of us? Why aren’t those states getting this fine, more expensive gasoline? Someone else created this problem in Maine and is just now sending us the bill.

I don’t believe we will ever be without this fine gasoline again. We didn’t cause the problem. Maine’s own small contribution will not cure it. Why are we forced to pay for out-of-staters who are polluting our air? Bob Talbot Belfast