Oberweis stops by Sycamore to talk about gas

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

SYCAMORE - Gasoline taxes and fees at all levels of government should be temporarily suspended or reduced, Congressional candidate Jim Oberweis said Wednesday during a visit to Towne Square Restaurant. “Not only is government not helping, in this case, government is actually hurting,” the Republican said. Oberweis is challenging U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Geneva, in the 14th Congressional District in the fall. Temporarily suspending or reducing gas taxes could provide relief to motorists paying more than $4 for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, Oberweis said. He also said Congress should suspend the gas/ethanol fuel blend required by federal law in the Chicagoland region, which he estimated adds anywhere from 14 to 41 cents per gallon. Oberweis said gas prices are the result of a supply problem that could be solved with increased offshore drilling in the U.S. and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He also supports exploration of alternative energy sources like nuclear, coal and wind energy - but noted that the government shouldn't continuously subsidize those energy industries. His opponent, Foster, said last month that he is “mystified” by the fact that while crude oil - the raw material needed to create gasoline, diesel and other forms of fuel - costs more than ever, the companies that manufacture fuel are reporting record profits. Oberweis bristled Wednesday when asked if he thought the system through which fuel is sold to public is broken. “I think the Democrats making that argument don't understand how business works,” Oberweis said. “It's the same as saying farmers receiving $7.50 for a bushel of corn and making a profit are doing something bad. I would expect farmers to have record profits when prices are high and lower profits when prices are low, and I would expect oil companies to have high profits when prices are high and low profits when prices are low.”