Patrick punts on issue of fairness

WHAT CAN Governor Patrick be thinking ("Patrick calls for timeout on gas-tax rise," Metro, Nov. 21) when he says that doubling the Mass. Pike tolls is OK, but raising the gas tax by a few cents is a volatile issue that requires months of study? The issue for Commonwealth residents is clear: Either a few of us pay an average of $1,000 a year, mostly for nondiscretionary commuting to work, or we all pay an average of $90 a year, with the option of driving a bit less to save the extra cost, such as it is.

Gas prices have declined by more than $2 in recent months; what better time than now to put through a small gas tax increase that would be noticed by virtually nobody? It saddens me to see the governor on the losing end of common sense. He is losing my support and, I am sure, that of many others to whom the issue of simple fairness is clear.

Bill Elliott
Holliston