Gas tax rates down in most states over time

November 10, 2010 — While many may perceive that taxes on gasoline have been rising in the last two decades, the chart shows that when viewed in inflation-adjusted dollars gas taxes have actually decreased in all but 10 states, often quite significantly. Federal rates have also decreased. The chart on the next page shows the 2008 rates and the inflation-adjusted 1988 rates. (Note: this data viz represents an update from that originally posted on Nov. 9, a data viz that had inadvertently presented 2010 data that was not fully comparable.)