For starters, the money saved from a reduction in subsidies or an increase in taxes in the oil sector could be used either to reduce budget deficits or to fund desirable spending (such as US highway construction and maintenance). At the same time, lower oil consumption would reduce traffic congestion and accidents, limit local air pollution and its adverse health effects, and lower greenhouse-gas emissions, which lead to global climate change.
一条一般的规则是，如果政府只有一个政策工具，那么只能实现一个政策目标。化石燃料定价是这一规则的一个显著例外。首先，从降低石油部门补贴或提高石油部门税收中获得的资金可以用于降低预算赤字或投入合意的支出（如美国高速公路建设和维护）。与此同时，石油消费的降低将减少交通拥堵和事故，遏制局部空气污染及其负面健康影响，以及减少导致气候变化的温室气体排放。燃料税能够比其他大部分措施更有效地实现这些环境目标。