Tom Buis’ rebuttal (March 18) to V. Paul Reynolds’ column (March 15) regarding ethanol in gasoline is wrong with regard to saving people money.

How many billions of taxpayers’ dollars have been spent to subsidize ethanol? To subsidize the growing of No. 2 corn? To subsidize ethanol plants? How about the subsidies to auto manufacturers for making vehicles that run with ethanol/gasoline blends?

Do taxpayers really need more tax dollars being spent on those subsidies?

And then, how about the many more millions of dollars spent by consumers for repairs to small engines damaged by gasoline with ethanol added when the mix has gone “bad?” All for a product with less energy per gallon than regular gasoline.

Buis blows a loud horn only for his own interests. I would say that Reynolds has a lot more credibility than Buis with regard to ethanol, and he is a lot less self-serving.

David Churchill, Minot

filed under: