The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "gas tax" ...
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The Tyranny of Oil
"The hardest-hitting expose of the oil industry in decades answers today's most pressing energy questions: How much oil is left? How far will Big Oil go to get it? And at what cost to the economy, environment, human rights, worker safety, public health, democracy, and America's place in the world?"
Tags: oil; america; human rights; environment; health; gas; petroleum; Standard Oil; SEC tax filings; oil futures
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Hot Fuel
While fuel expands when it gets hot, retail pumps are not making a price adjustment to compensate for the energy lost by using hotter fuel. A century ago, the oil industry set a standard of 60 degrees for fuel temperature, and the Star found that gas in the United States is on average five degrees higher than this. At every level of distribution, a price adjustment is made to compensate for the expanding fuel, but not at the consumer pump itself. "The cost to consumers, by not equipping retail pumps to adjust for temperature, is $2.3 billion per year while state and federal governments lose hundreds of millions of dollars annually in fuel taxes."
Tags: Fuel; hot fuel; gas prices; taxes; price adjustments; 60-degree fuel standard
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Pigging Out
A National Journal investigation looks at the new developments in the "age-old practice of lawmakers pledging their support for key legislation in exchange for federally funded projects in their districts." The tradition, known as "pork barrel spending," isn't likely to die, even though Republicans who seized Congress in 1994 wouldn't put up with it, the magazine reports. The story reveals that most GOP revolutionaries have been trying to steer money for roads and bridges toward their districts in exchange for supporting the new transportation bill. The article provides insight on how funding for infrastructure has changed over the years.
Tags: transportation; lawmakers; politicians; GOP; Republicans; Democrats; pet projects; highways; gas tax; federal funds
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Free Ride
"Taxpayers in Harrison County, Miss., foot the bill for an impressive fleet of county government vehicles. Elected officials and scores of county employees have take-home automobile privileges with little oversight to prevent personal use of the vehicles and little though toward saving tax dollars. Many officials and employees drive expensive gas-guzzling sorts utility vehicles...The state of Mississippi has 4,400 such passenger vehicles worth $150 million, which cost $17.9 million for mileage reimbursement in 1999." After the story roughly 25 percent of the vehicles were ordered to be parked.
Tags: government vehicles; misuse of government property; FOIA; Mississippi Open Records Act; Harrison County; passenger vehicles; SUVs; perks; PEER (Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review commission)
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Bump and Run
KOAT-TV investigated how a New Mexico Indian Pueblo "secretly evaded hundreds of thousands of dollars in gasoline taxes through a fraud scheme called bump and run.... It means a fraudulent transaction where (Native American wholesale gasoline distribution businesses) bring product onto the reservation, they don't offload it, all they do is stamp that it has been offloaded, and take it into the marketplace and sell it tax-free."
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IRE Feed 1 "New Adventures in Computer Assisted Reporting."
A compilation of 12 stories: 1.) "Stolen Dreams" News 12 Long Island, Employees and Salesmen stealing pensions and retirement money. 2.) "Felon Voters" WCCO, Minneapolis, Convicted felons voting illegally. 3,) "Where Crime Happens." WBNS, Columbus, High-crime neighborhoods. 4.) "Ride At Your Own Risk" WTVJ, Miami, Cab drivers driving without licenses because of violations. 5.) "What's in the Tank?" KNXV, Phoenix, Gas incorrectly labeled. 6.) "The Dirty Dozen" WDIV, Detroit, Unclean restaurants with health violations. 7.) "Occupational Hazards" WSMV, Nashville, Unsafe work conditions ignored. 8.) "Unlucky 13" WRAL, Raleigh, A dangerous stretch of Interstate 95. 9.) "Owning Up" WNEM, Saginaw, Unpaid property taxes. 10.) "Hot Cars" WBNS, Columbus, The most frequently stolen cars. 11.) Wheel of Government" News 12 Long Island, Government cars used for non-government business. 12.) "Nursing Home Abuses." WDIV, Detroit, Health department violations, neglect, whistle blowers, cover up, sexual assaults, inadequate care and more.
Tags: TAPE; News 12 Long Island; WCCO; WBNS; WTVJ; KNXV; WDIV; WSMV; WRAL; WNEM.
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No title (id: 12951)
The Post-Gazette analyzes Pennsylvania's legislative approval for a gas tax increase of up to 8 cents a gallon, appropriating one cent of that to the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in addition to the 0.7 cents the quasi-state agency now receives. Critics contend that most of this spending was unnecessary or excessive. (Nov.5,1995)
Tags: Grata State legislation Mon-Fayette Expressway Southern Beltway Public works 6 pgs.
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No title (id: 12719)
The Russian mafia bilked the U.S. Government out of millions of dollars in whlesale fuel tax revenues each year. The UCG discovered that Hovsep "Michael" Mikaelian, the self-claimed Armenian godfather of the Russinan mafia, used valid registration froms of legitimate gasoline wholesale companies to purchase taxed and untaxed fuel and blend them together to sell at 24 gas stations. (Sept. 18 & Oct. 16, 1995)
Tags: Donoghue Russina godfather nailed in west coast diesel scam Contest entry 3 pgs.