For every $1 the Texas state government collects from the oil and gas industry, Texans pay $8 in sales tax to the state government. Why does this discrepancy exist? Federal law requires oil and gas taxes to be low to encourage Americans to drive. The 1876 Texas Constitution imposes a steep individual tax that has never been reduced. Texas policymakers want to encourage the production of oil and gas in the state at almost any cost. This discrepancy has not been brought to the attention of Texas policymakers yet