To the editor:

During this economic crisis, we cannot afford to risk facing soaring energy prices as we did last summer. As Congress considers President Obama’s budget and stimulus packages, it must do everything it can to avoid passing on higher taxes to the energy industry, which would simply drive prices higher.

My personal budget is negatively affected when fuel prices increase. I drive 45 minutes to work every day, which means that if gas prices go higher, it significantly increases my expenses. Similarly, my fiancée has a 20-minute commute; with both of us on the road every day, a few extra pennies at the pump add up very quickly. Our story is a microcosm of our state’s economy. Fuel prices either directly or indirectly affect virtually every industry and every family in the state.

It would be a mistake to look to the energy industry, one of the few that is not asking for a handout from the government, and think that we can single it out for higher taxes without affecting other industries and families throughout our state.

We need to keep energy prices low in order to stimulate our economy.