Washington Gas Smart Thermostat Rebate – The idea of gas rebate cards has been discussed in Washington for a while and has potential to provide consumers with financial relief particularly as gas prices reached $5/gallon this week. However there is a White House official says the Biden administration won’t advocate for a similar program due to the fact that it would be difficult to administer and require Congressional approval. The gas rebate card might be a suitable temporary solution however there are numerous issues that need to be identified before it’s a reality for American consumers.
Washington Gas Smart Thermostat Rebate from Federal Government
The federal government hasn’t implemented the Gas Rebate Act from 2022. However, it is looking at plan and some cities and states have promulgated legislation for it. Inflation rebates are meant for helping people deal with the rising cost of living. Though they are not federal programs most of these rebates have been issued by state governments from surpluses. The federal government could consider such a scheme as a way to address the current high costs of gasoline and other items.
Certain states have tried to cut down on their gas tax as well as are considering refunds to residents. Some states, like New York, are considering stopping the gas tax entirely or offering a small amount of rebate. Governor Bloomberg has also proposed tax breaks for renters as well as homeowners who pay gas taxes at or above their federally minimum. He’s even proposed cutting the gas tax by 50 percent when the average price of unleaded gas reaches $4.51 for a gallon during summer. Certain political leaders from New York state have also advocated for the removal of the state gas tax, which is 33.3 cents per gallon.
They are not available in all states.
While the federal government is not trying to put together any type of stimulus plan state legislators and President Biden have proposed various proposals to help consumers. These proposals include a three month gasoline tax break. However, as of the end of June no concrete plan is currently being discussed by Congress. It will be some time before gas rebates start rolling out across every state. Although President Obama has suggested that a national tax holiday on gas however, he’s yet to find the right legislation to support it.
They are controversial
No matter the politics behind the concept regardless of the political stance, gas rebates are among the numerous tools to assist Americans weather the cost of gas. But, they’ve run into some resistance. A couple of months ago, House Democratic counsel opposed the scheme, concluding the plan could lead to inflation and was expensive, and wasn’t properly targeted. Before that, more senior White House aides raised concerns regarding the rebate cards because of the dearth of microchips.