Washington State gas taxes will rise by 7cents a gallon now and by a further 4.9cents a gallon next summer. ​Source: The Seattle Times​, August​ 1, 2015 If the demand for gasoline is inelastic and the supply of gasoline is​ elastic, who will pay more of the increase in​ Washington's gas​ tax: drivers or the gasoline​ companies?

Respuesta :

Answer:

Drivers

Explanation:

Washington State gas taxes will rise by 7 cents a gallon now and by a further 4.9 cents a gallon next summer.  If the demand for gasoline is inelastic and the supply of gasoline is​ elastic, Drivers will pay more of the increase in​ Washington's gas​ tax.

This question is trying to test tax incidence as to where an increase in tax on a commodity will lie and who will bear the tax burden.

If the demand for a good is inelastic it means that buyers will not respond so much to increase in price because they view the product as a necessity. Therefore if suppliers choose to increase the price of gasoline with the value of the tax, those buyers of gasoline (drivers) will still buy.

In such a situation the gasoline companies will shift tax burden to the drivers.