DNC Getting Gas Tax Free

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Democrats in Congress may not have acted on Sen. John McCain's proposal for a summer gas tax holiday, but that hasn't stopped the Democratic National Convention from getting tax-free gas courtesy of the citizens of the Mile High City, reports the Denver Post this morning.

Filed as breaking news and published at 8:13 EDT on July 23, the Post's Allison Sherry has the scoop here. Below is an excerpt:

Since March, staffers working on the Democratic National Convention have been using the city of Denver's tax-free gas pumps to fill up their cars - and using its carwashes.

A dispute about this prompted city officials Tuesday to promise that the local host committee will reimburse the city at a market rate for gas - and pay state and federal taxes on the fuel.

It was never the intent of the city not to properly charge the Democrats for the fuel or its taxes, said Katherine Archuleta, mayoral liaison to the convention.

Kudos to the Denver Post for tracking down the story. We at NewsBusters will be tracking if the national broadcast media picks up the story, although I personally doubt it will get much traction what with the Obama World Tour commanding the MSM's attention.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/ken-shepherd/...ng-gas-tax-free

Denver post story

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It was never the intent of the city not to properly charge the Democrats for the fuel or its taxes, said Katherine Archuleta, mayoral liaison to the convention.

Sounds like someone within the city government of Denver wasn't looking out for the citizens of Denver. Shameful and an embarassment to all parties involved. I hope they do the right thing and reimburse the city for every penny they owe.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

It's bizarre. Why let them use the city pumps at all?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

It's bizarre. Why let them use the city pumps at all?

Just thinking outloud, but the doesn't city own the convention center where the DNC Convention will be held? If so, perhaps they have agreed terms for the fees and costs and that maybe it's a running tab which would then make sense to have all the fuel added to the total bill. Why does the city have tax free fuel pumps in the first place and what are typically used for? Tomorrow, I'll try to see what I can find on it.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

It's bizarre. Why let them use the city pumps at all?

Just thinking outloud, but the doesn't city own the convention center where the DNC Convention will be held? If so, perhaps they have agreed terms for the fees and costs and that maybe it's a running tab which would then make sense to have all the fuel added to the total bill. Why does the city have tax free fuel pumps in the first place and what are typically used for? Tomorrow, I'll try to see what I can find on it.

I work at a government facility and the government vehicles pay full price for fuel. State and Federal taxes included.

[NavarreMan 10]

From the 7/22/08 Rocky Mountain News:

The committee hosting the Democratic National Convention has used the city's gas pumps to fill up and apparently avoided paying state and federal fuel taxes.

The practice, which began four months ago, may have ended hours after its disclosure. An aide to Mayor John Hickenlooper released a statement Tuesday evening saying that Denver 2008 Host Committee members would pay market prices for fuel and would also be liable for all applicable taxes.

However, Public Works spokeswoman Christine Downs told City Council members just hours before that host committee members were fueling up at the city pumps. The city does not pay taxes on the fuel for its fleet, and Downs said the host committee would not either.

The disclosure brought immediate scrutiny. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers said the practice "would seem" to be illegal and referred the matter to the state Department of Revenue.

Nonprofits, such as the host committee, are subject to state and federal gasoline taxes, according to the Department of Revenue.

The issue arose during the regular weekly meeting of Hickenlooper and City Council members. Downs requested authorization for a contract so the Public Works Department could be reimbursed by the host committee for use of "fueling facilities, fuel and car washes."

Downs said the contract with the host committee started in March and that $9,700 in fuel and services had been purchased from the city so far. But the committee has yet to be billed. The city anticipates $466,125 in total revenues from the contract, Downs said.

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Sounds like a fairly good investment for the city. They're bringing in nearly 1/2 million dollars in revenues off of a 10k investment.