Ethanol fails to help consumers

Regarding (Linn County supervisor) Lu Barron's Dec. 27 letter “Increase ethanol in fuel standard”:

Ms. Barron, please present the entire story when you address the ethanol situation. You address employment only. You do not mention research, which consistently has stated that gasoline with 10 percent ethanol will produce at least 10 percent less mileage.

At $3 per gallon, the burning difference between gasoline and ethanol is 15 cents per gallon. Yet ethanol is only 10 cents per gallon less.

In all surrounding states, gasohol is priced equally with regular gasoline. In Iowa, gasohol is 10 cents per gallon less than regular because the difference in refining is subsidized by the state of Iowa. Who pays that 10 cents per gallon? Please explain in detail.

You do not take into account the increase in prices that consumers pay for other products, such as cereal, pork, beef, chicken, eggs and milk.

All of these products use corn to produce them. They now cost more because of the advent of ethanol.

Please explain how this is helping consumers, who are also your constituents.

Merle Ries

Cedar Rapids