The Hybrid Tax Credit may be extended, maybe not.

[M. Oiseau]

Bill S2571, the BOLD (Breaking Our Long Term Dependence) Energy Act of 2006, was sent to our congressional finance committee months ago but has had no committee activity, yet. This bill includes everything from alternative fuels, clean coal energy, manufacturer incentives for technology development, to hybrid vehicle tax credit extensions.

Per Senator James Inhofe’s office, the focus of discussions regarding this particular bill has been on the alternative fuels and manufacturer incentives. There has been some resistance to extending the hybrid vehicle credits because of perceptions that the Japanese manufacturers, with their head start, have an unfair advantage over the Big Three. There is some pressure to add incentives to encourage US manufacturers to catch up with Japan instead of extending the existing consumer incentives.

Arrrgh.

[Godiva]

To which I say....I do not want my tax dollars going to subsidize U.S. automakers who are shortsighted and mismanage. Let them go bankrupt for their greed and stupidity. It's top management that is stupid yet top management that is making 6 and 7 figures. Why should *I* pay for their poor leadership, poor managment and short sighted goals?

The Japanese produced a car I wanted to buy. The big 3 could have but they made the WRONG CHOICE. Why should *I* pay for it? Let their CEOs give back some of those millions they made while the company stocks went down and then resign for negligence.

[Soylent]

Would writing to congressmembers help this through, or is it tied up in some beaurocratic tape?

[M. Oiseau]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Aug 11 2006, 03:42 PM) [snapback]301705[/snapback]</div>

Would writing to congressmembers help this through, or is it tied up in some beaurocratic tape?
[/b]

Writing to your representatives can't hurt. I would say it should help, given the reported lack of "activity" by the finance committee.

[quagmire0]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(M. Oiseau @ Aug 11 2006, 02:20 PM) [snapback]301654[/snapback]</div>

There has been some resistance to extending the hybrid vehicle credits because of perceptions that the Japanese manufacturers, with their head start, have an unfair advantage over the Big Three. There is some pressure to add incentives to encourage US manufacturers to catch up with Japan instead of extending the existing consumer incentives.
[/b]

That's some true ass-backward thinking right there. Typical American and politician BS. Instead of rewarding the overachievers, we have to dumb things down for the rest of the class. Don't make people strive for success, just redefine success.

[B Rad]

Any incentive should be based on MPG, not type of drive train. How about a tax credit of $500 starting at a combined 30 MPG. and increasing $500 for every 3 MPG up to 51 MPG and $4.000.....

[MPG > HP]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Aug 11 2006, 01:42 PM) [snapback]301705[/snapback]</div>

Would writing to congressmembers help this through, or is it tied up in some beaurocratic tape?
[/b]

Writing those who hold elected positions ALWAYS helps. It's basically democracy in action, expecially in these days of email where two sides of issues can be readily counted. I learned this from being a principal in the movement for Redress and Reparations for the Japanese-American U.S. Citizens who had their entire lives stolen from them, during WWII and more recently, from pursuing local environmental issues.

Then, in the late pre-email '80s, we found out that government officials would literally place mail, for and against issues, on separate pallets and simply weigh them to determine how citizens felt about things. Talk about weighing in on your vote! Now, it's much easier to just count up the email. It helps when you polarize an issue, e.g., Should tax credits be based on "rate of MPG improvement" Yes/No. It might not seem so, just sitting by yourself reading a forum, but when elected officials start hearing the same thing from many people, it does make them think that the people who put them in office who are also interested in so-and-so issue, may represent a larger voter block than they can influence by advertising paid for by corporations. They also know that each letter is representative of many, many, more of their voting constituents who do not bother to write.

So, by all means good people, "get the vote out" and send in those emails! Basically, the simpler the message, the more effective. Rather than getting involved in a whole detailed explanation of why you want something, just making simple demands for simple actions, e.g., ""Extend the tax credit program" or "Extend the HOV sticker program beyond 2007" will help focus politicians on the issues and helps provide them with "speaking topics" that are so effective on the free publicity opportunities that arise during their campaign runs. It's our democratic system that makes this country great, so by all means send in your "vote"! You know the "other side" are doing likewise, in their own ($$$) ways.

[Billy]

I was the beneficiary of the Pennsylvania $500.00 rebate for hybrid vehicles. The program had ended the day before I took delivery of my Prius(April 13 2006), but had reopened in July this year. Thanks to everyone who helped I should add . I think my wife would like a Prius too, with the Nav, so I better start saving and writing.

Billy

[PA]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(M. Oiseau @ Aug 11 2006, 03:20 PM) [snapback]301654[/snapback]</div>

There has been some resistance to extending the hybrid vehicle credits because of perceptions that the Japanese manufacturers, with their head start, have an unfair advantage over the Big Three. There is some pressure to add incentives to encourage US manufacturers to catch up with Japan instead of extending the existing consumer incentives.[/b]

Now that the existing incentives are beginning to expire for Toyota, they will naturally favor the other automakers. Of course the American vehicle credits were nowhere near as high as they have been for Toyota, but then again whose fault was that? "Unfair advantage" ... yes, how dare those sneaky Japanese make a better vehicle! What's unfair is that the credit expires for each manufacturer based on their vehicle sales, rather than a total volume for the industry. So, those who show initiative and establish the market may later find their vehicles at a bit of a price disadvantage when competing against the latecomers who spent their time manufacturing Bradley Commuting Vehicles.

[dipper]

Guess we will see starting Oct. 1.

If you wanted the car so bad, you probably still be interested after the rebate. If the rebate is the only reason for its great sales figures, then we all should have under MSRP bargains.

Either way, looks like we will find out really soon.