California Proposed State Law AB493-Impose Fee on Gas-Guzzlers, Hand Cash to Gas-Sippers by 2011

[hb06]

"Call it the Robin Hood approach to global warming. California drivers who buy new Hummers, Ford Expeditions and other big vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gases would pay a fee of up to $2,500."

"And drivers who buy more fuel-efficient cars - like the Toyota Prius or Ford Focus - would receive rebates of up to $2,500, straight from the gas-guzzlers' pockets."

"That's the provocative proposal from a Silicon Valley legislator whose "Clean Car Discount" bill is gaining momentum, sending car dealers into a tizzy and sparking passions among motorists."

"Ruskin's bill, AB493, won approval of the Assembly Transportation Committee two weeks ago."

Scroll to the right to read article:
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_5625792

[Tideland Prius]

Sounds like what our Feds just did. Up here, it's $4,000 for gas guzzlers and up to $2,000 for the Prius.

[iaowings]

That isn’t going to work very well. People are going to get mad about that and some may even start fights or whatever over it. Don’t they have a gas-guzzlers tax already or is that a something else. I would not mind getting 2500 for buying a low emission vehicle.

[edit]
I am all for it but what I think should be an exemption in the law that if you have a job or company that requires the big truck and that is why you are buying the truck you don’t have to pay. Obviously this would be for the work trucks and not luxury trucks and SUVs.

[jgills240]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Apr 13 2007, 12:39 PM) [snapback]422772[/snapback]</div>

Sounds like what our Feds just did. Up here, it's $4,000 for gas guzzlers and up to $2,000 for the Prius.
[/b]

I was gonna say, this sounds moderately socialist....
with the whole "Board of Equalization" thing.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Apr 13 2007, 12:40 PM) [snapback]422772[/snapback]</div>

That isn’t going to work very well. People are going to get mad about that and some may even start fights or whatever over it. Don’t they have a gas-guzzlers tax already or is that a something else. I would not mind getting 2500 for buying a low emission vehicle.

[edit]
I am all for it but what I think should be an exemption in the law that if you have a job or company that requires the big truck and that is why you are buying the truck you don’t have to pay. Obviously this would be for the work trucks and not luxury trucks and SUVs.
[/b]

We do have a gas guzzler tax. ~$7000 for 12.5 MPG and under, and I think $1000 for 21.5 and under. but there is no CA incentive for high mpg vehicles, just fed tax credit (which is soon to be gone, if not already). so it's pretty much just an raise of the current one with the addition of the incentive.
And there is a break for super-low income and business.... read the article a couple more paragraphs down

[Tideland Prius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Apr 13 2007, 10:40 AM) [snapback]422774[/snapback]</div>

That isn’t going to work very well. People are going to get mad about that and some may even start fights or whatever over it. Don’t they have a gas-guzzlers tax already or is that a something else. I would not mind getting 2500 for buying a low emission vehicle.

[edit]
I am all for it but what I think should be an exemption in the law that if you have a job or company that requires the big truck and that is why you are buying the truck you don’t have to pay. Obviously this would be for the work trucks and not luxury trucks and SUVs.
[/b]

I don't know what the gas-guzzler tax is up here but I do know it'll apply to V12s mostly. In addition to the 3% luxury tax.

I wonder if there's both a gas-guzzler tax AND the $4,000 imposed.... ouch! well.. not to those who own Lambos since $4k is nothing to them.

[prberg]

Way to go Ruskin! Sure it will be unpopular but something must be done. Let's pressure the auto makers to make better vehicles, but why not impose a smog fee (or gas tax?) as well. The more you pollute the more you pay. My lungs would thank you very much. (smog and soot are a big problem where I live)

-Peter B

[skruse]

This "graduated fee" makes sense, a sort of "pay it forward" protocol. You pay proportional to fuel consumption and emissions.

Just as electric and natural gas utilities charge more per unit for the more you use (as an incentive to conserve and use less), so it should be with vehicles. The current proposal does not need to look at the odometer, just fuel economy and emissions. Therefor, ZEVs will be charged the least, high emission vehicles will be charged the most.

Excellent!

[jgills240]

I think it's a good idea too. Kinda like buying green credits for your home energy consumption (Gore). Pretty soon we'll have "Prick" credits so you can honk your horn at the old lady crossing the street in a wheel chair right in front of your car... "It's ok ma'am, I have fifty bucks in prick credits for the day!" "Oh... thanks dear!!"

[burritos]

Who's committing the bigger global warming crime? A prius driver who commutes 30 miles a day or some rich bimbo who drives her hummer to the grocery store once a week?

Just raise the price of gas and use that tax to subsidize the purchase of fuel efficient cars.

[Devil's Advocate]

I'll just register my gas guzzler vehicles in NV and my fuel sippers in CA!
Keep chasing people with money out of the state!