Gas prices too low?

For Earl Martin, gas didn't cost enough.

Five years ago he and a group of friends from Harrisonburg sat down to dinner to talk about world issues. A common thread throughout the discussion was the number of conflicts around the world caused by oil. Another thread was the environment and how the United States produces 25 percent of the world's greenhouse gases. The group kept questioning why people in the U.S. paid so little for gas, so they did the only thing they could think of: they started taxing their own gas consumption.

"We needed to make a step for [gas] to cost more for us," said Martin. After the idea was conceived at his dinner table, Martin talked to friends and got some others involved. Since then the membership has grown to about 25 people, most affiliated with the local Mennonite community.

"We heard what they were doing, and we knew that we needed to do that, too," said former EMU Professor Ray Gingerich, referring to the decision he and his wife made to join the group. Like many of the group's members, Gingerich believes that the U.S. depends on oil too much and lets that need direct foreign policy. Although there are other purposes of the tax, the commonality among them is helping to build a stronger community.

Together the group collects about $1,500 each quarter by volunteering to pay 50 cents per gallon of gas consumed. Every time the group meets, they collectively decide to donate funds to organizations that either support the environment by looking for alternative energy sources or are helping to stop suffering around the world caused by the pursuit of oil.

The group's most recent endeavor was addressing the Harrisonburg City Council on the need for a bike path on Chicago Avenue. Currently, Chicago Avenue has no sidewalk, bike lane, or shoulder, making pedestrian travel unsafe. In a May 7 email, former Voluntary Gas Tax Coordinator Jeff Heie stated that a project is expected to start between 2006-2008; however, he stressed that the current situation "warrants making improvements sooner."

Earl Martin said that the "heroes" of the group spend less than everyone else. This may sound self-defeating, but the reason behind the tax is to avoid paying, much in the same way as people avoid paying taxes to the government and thus reduce consumption. To pay less, one has to start walking or riding a bike. Some of the members declined to attend weddings or other social events.

Ultimately, the group would like the United States to start promoting mass transportation or to accept the current world price of petroleum, which is about four times the current price in the United States. The group supports the idea of constructing more railways to accommodate current trade routes across the nation, as well as increasing the number of buses used in the cities. For more information about the group visit their website at www.voluntarygastax.com.

"It's completely voluntary; no one is pushing on you to give the full 50 cents. You could only give five cents if you wanted to," said Earl Martin. He also suggested that people just come hang out, adding, "You know if you hang out with people who tax themselves you're gonna have a fun time."