Iowa House votes to add fee for electric vehicle registration

So you're saying let's replace not ideal, but simple solution with another not ideal, but much more complex (and controversial) one.

 

My state does not require an odometer reading on registration renewal. They record the reading when the title for the vehicle is issued, but after that they have no knowledge of how many miles the vehicle is driven. Same in California, and that's the only other state where I have experience registering vehicles recently. I suspect that very few states record odometer reading on renewal, but haven't researched it.

If you make the system dependent on people to track miles, nobody will do it and you will have widespread cheating. If your state requires that you declare all sales tax not paid on out-of-state purchases, do you scrupulously scour all your receipts? Or, like most people, do you just report zero? The solution states have come up with is to require all retailers to collect sales tax on sales to that state.

I think the only equitable solution is to track vehicle miles driven in each state, but that isn't a simple process. If it were, it would be in place now.

 

The roads were underfunded before plug in cars came to market, and the fleet fuel economy is steadily increasing. We can increase fuel prices and come up with some system for other fuels, or move everybody over to the same system. There are a fair number of vehicles running on CNG out there, for longer than BEVs, and many of them are commercial trucks that are heavy enough to do more damage to roads. They also aren't paying road taxes.

California has regular inspections, as does Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The inspection and registration called for odometer recordings in Pa.

People will cheat on a mileage tax. They already cheat on all the others. Some even cheat on fuel taxes by using off road fuel in their street cars. Unlike sales and use tax on my TV, the state will eventually learn about cheating on the car's miles when it leaves my possession. getting the new owner and fast tags office to go along with the my cheating is more difficult than one person 'forgetting' what they bought in Delaware.

And as I said before, we can quibble about the details. Worried about funds loss to cheats, set a minimum fee for, say 5000 miles a year. A simple flat fee based upon average annual miles runs counter to how a use should work; use more, pay more. If it truly is a better and fairer solution, the state should eliminate fuel taxes, and charge every car that same flat rate.

Some states are trying GPS systems to track miles. They have flaws; they all do. Nothing will be perfect. I prefer a mileage tax because it doesn't punish those that drive fewer miles like a flat fee, nor will it punish the poor that have older, generally less efficient cars like simply increase fuel taxes will.

 

I don't know about CA or PA but NJ gives new vehicles 5 years before inspection is required. That would have to change but I highly doubt it will.

 

Oh so now we're into social engineering? Won't take long before some "Bernie" expresses dissatisfaction with why a Lambo owner pays for his garage queen less than him for his beater F150.

There's no a good solution that would be easy (= cheap and quick) to implement. And who can say for sure in 10-15 years when all is said and done, some new technology or means of transportation emerges that screws everything. Ride sharing, Uber, even scooters - those are relatively new things with a big impact on infrastructure.

 

Haven't lived in NJ for some time. Do they still ask for a odometer reading upon registration renewal?

Being against regressive taxes isn't social engineering. And no one is complaining about a garage queen paying less fuel taxes. A mileage tax won't reduce the sales and any property tax on a Lambo.

Cars used for ride sharing, and motorcycles powerful enough to require licensing, all have odometers.

If every one switched to low power scooters, bicycles, Segways, or other similarly low weight, low speed transportation, the cost for road maintenance will drop, or commercial trucks will need to pick up more of the burden, which they probably aren't paying their share for now.

 

No, not at registration renewals. They only ask for odo readings for changes in title.

 

"no one is complaining", yet preaching the fair share in very next sentence. Bernie, is it you?

 

Thanks. Pennsylvania does ask on the annual registration.

Since it apparently wasn't clear, I was pointing out that a car's value should have no bearing on a use tax, and that it is already taxed through other means.

 

There is wide variation in the cost of electricity in California. While Roy2001 may pay 28 cents per KWh to PG&E (an investor-owned utility), I pay 10 or 15 cents (depending on usage tier) to my municipally owned electric utility.

 

It was this type of public fleecing that originally lead to a standard regulated fee structure that is now being used to mandate the exact issues it was made to prevent.

 

After seeing Michigan $450 proposed hike

Gas taxes and driver's license fees would go up dramatically under Illinois Senate proposal - Chicago Tribune

Illinois is looking at raising plug in registrations $1000

 

Gotta move the heck out of this stupid state (Illinois).