As Arizona gas prices hit record highs of $3.29 a gallon, it's no wonder that Republican Ken Bennett can't decide whether or not he wants to run for Congress.

When Bennett was in the state Legislature, he tried to use his office to send Arizonans' gas taxes to his own oil company, even after his request was rejected.

"If Ken Bennett thinks using the taxes we pay at the pump to pad his own pockets is a winning position, he's more out of touch with middle class Arizonans than we thought," said Maria Weeg, executive director of the Arizona Democratic Party. "When we're struggling to pay $3.29 for a gallon of gas, we don't need another politician who puts his own financial interests before what's best for hard-working Arizonans. That sounds eerily close to Rick Renzi using his office to benefit his family business."

Background:

• Today, the cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline hit a record high in Arizona - $3.290 per gallon [Arizona Unleaded Average, Highest Recorded Price, AAA Fuel Gauge Report, 04/10/08]. In Prescott, the same gallon costs even more, $3.359, and in Flagstaff, $3.415 [AZ Metro Averages, AAA Fuel Gauge Report, 04/10/08].

• Arizonans pay a 1 cent gas tax to the State Assurance Fund. From 1993 to 2004, Bennett Oil, its insurance company, and the consultants Bennett Oil hired to cleanup its gasoline tank leaks received nearly $336,000 from the State Assurance [Bennett Paid $336,000 by state for gas cleanup, Arizona Republic, 02/13/04].

• In 2004, after the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality turned down Bennett Oil's request to receive another $46,433 from taxpayers, Bennett cosponsored Senate Bill 1337 which would have changed state policy to enable Bennett Oil to collect the additional funds [Bennett backs legislation to help family firm, The Associated Press, 02/09/04].