Gas-guzzler fee fuels fight

[hb06]

"Dubbed the "Clean Air Discount Act," the bill is sponsored by Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City, and faces a vote Friday in the state assembly. It would require drivers who purchase new vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gases to pay a fee of up to $2,500. The money would be used to pay rebates of up to $2,500 to buyers of more fuel-efficient models."

"The automakers also have a Web site, wedrivecalifornia.com, that tells people how to contact their state legislators."

"The ad is the latest skirmish in battles between Detroit and California over fuel economy mandates."

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../706060383/1148

[hill]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HBO6 @ Jun 6 2007, 10:17 AM) [snapback]456504[/snapback]</div>

"Dubbed the "Clean Air Discount Act," the bill is sponsored by Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City, and faces a vote Friday in the state assembly. It would require drivers who purchase new vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gases to pay a fee of up to $2,500. The money would be used to pay rebates of up to $2,500 to buyers of more fuel-efficient models."

"The automakers also have a Web site, wedrivecalifornia.com, that tells people how to contact their state legislators."

"The ad is the latest skirmish in battles between Detroit and California over fuel economy mandates."

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../706060383/1148
[/b]

The irony is that GM is part and parcel w/ defeating this kind of legislating ... all the while claiming they are now on the green bandwagon.

[Devil's Advocate]

Good
I hope this gets passed!
This bill will hasten the ultimate implosion of California.
Everyone will just go to NV or AZ to buy cars, why?
Because it is unconsitutional for CA to not let you register a car bought in another state!
(CA got burned bad by this a few years ago because they used to charge out of state cars more to register. They had to refund billions of dollars)

GoGoGoGoGoGoGo!

[cyrus69]

We have something similar up in Canada, where inefficient vehicles pay up to $4000 and efficient vehicles like hybrids get $2000 back. It's a federal program, so there's no way around it. I'm sure they'd make you pay the $4000 here if you import a vehicle too. I guess it doesn't work well, if it's only at the state level.

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HBO6 @ Jun 6 2007, 07:17 AM) [snapback]456504[/snapback]</div>

"Dubbed the "Clean Air Discount Act," the bill is sponsored by Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City, and faces a vote Friday in the state assembly. It would require drivers who purchase new vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gases to pay a fee of up to $2,500. The money would be used to pay rebates of up to $2,500 to buyers of more fuel-efficient models."

"The automakers also have a Web site, wedrivecalifornia.com, that tells people how to contact their state legislators."

"The ad is the latest skirmish in battles between Detroit and California over fuel economy mandates."

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../706060383/1148
[/b]

Fat chance that'll get passed.

Dave M.

[MikeSF]

Personally I'd rather that SUVs simply lose their "Light Truck" classification since a majority of them are not used for any sort of commercial type work which requires additional horsepower.

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Devil's Advocate @ Jun 6 2007, 12:17 PM) [snapback]456629[/snapback]</div>

Good
I hope this gets passed!
This bill will hasten the ultimate implosion of California.
Everyone will just go to NV or AZ to buy cars, why?
Because it is unconsitutional for CA to not let you register a car bought in another state!
(CA got burned bad by this a few years ago because they used to charge out of state cars more to register. They had to refund billions of dollars)

GoGoGoGoGoGoGo!
[/b]

Why wouldn't the state be able to collect the fee when the out of state vehicle is registered in CA? They do this with sales/use tax now.

[cireecnop1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HBO6 @ Jun 6 2007, 08:17 AM) [snapback]456504[/snapback]</div>

"Dubbed the "Clean Air Discount Act," the bill is sponsored by Ira Ruskin, D-Redwood City, and faces a vote Friday in the state assembly. It would require drivers who purchase new vehicles that emit high levels of greenhouse gases to pay a fee of up to $2,500. The money would be used to pay rebates of up to $2,500 to buyers of more fuel-efficient models."

"The automakers also have a Web site, wedrivecalifornia.com, that tells people how to contact their state legislators."

"The ad is the latest skirmish in battles between Detroit and California over fuel economy mandates."

http://www.detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../706060383/1148
[/b]

I thought there was already a "gas Guzzler" tax added to the window sticker of Cars? I was looking at an 07 Audi S4 last year and it had a $1,500 mark up for just that. or is this different?

[Marlin]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Jun 6 2007, 09:30 PM) [snapback]457014[/snapback]</div>

Why wouldn't the state be able to collect the fee when the out of state vehicle is registered in CA? They do this with sales/use tax now.
[/b]

All they would need to do is turn it into an excise tax. When I lived in South Carolina, they had an excise tax on cars that you paid every year and was based on the value of the car. California could impose an excise tax that is based on emissions. In fact, they could probably even tie it into the results of the emission testing that I'm sure they already do. Since such an excise tax would be paid every year for cars registered in the state, it wouldn't matter where you bought the car.

[mhollis]

The State of Connecticut does not collect sales tax on the sale of a hybrid or low-emissions vehicle. And that's new or used. That does amount to a considerable savings on a $27,000 vehicle.

When I purchased my used Prius, I did pay sales tax on dealer thingies, like vin-etch and other nonesense. But the car itself came free of sales tax. I saved some $1,156.