They want to tax hybrids in WA

I have to admit I'm not entirely sure what the fuss is about. The article claims that gasoline tax pays for road maintenance. Road maintenance benefits everyone who uses roads. Just because the state (probably a long time ago) chose to address that need through gasoline sales does not change the fact that every car on the road contributes to general wear and tear, nor the fact that roads in good repair reduce wear and tear on your vehicle.

Seriously, people. This is not punitive and it isn't about getting a pound of flesh. It's about maintaining infrastructure. Maybe when they come out with a 4x4 version of the Prius we can all be a little bit more dismissive of potholes. Until then, don't we have a vested interest in fixing them?

Let's also not forget that the tax credit on an electric car is enough to cover this proposed fee for 75 years. You're starting off in electric car ownership with a tax break, and that's fine, because using less gasoline is undoubtedly a boon to the country and the planet, but it seems a bit silly to then turn around and complain about a paltry $100 tax that only goes to prevent you from tearing up your tires faster.

Pax,
QS

 

Or they could apply the tax to non commercial vehicles that get less than 15 mpg on the official ratings. That way they could say its a 'green' tax and also send the right message to those who choose to pay extra for a fuel efficient hybrid or zero emission EV.

I thought the UK was top of the league for Countries with a punitive tax regime, but only in America would they want to tax the new, expensive technology zero emission vehicle instead of the gas guzzler!

 

No, they tax the gas guzzler, too. They just tax that poor soul through gas. And that really is punitive, since the more they drive, the more they pay. This is a flat rate which comes out to about eight bucks a month.

And let's also not forget that, unless the electric vehicle owner in question is off the grid in terms of electricity, they're still most likely burning coal to power their electric car.

Pax,
QS

 

Absolutely agree with you. You would think hybrids don't wear the roads or bridges at all.

 

If you want to tax EVs or hybrids, what else can they tax? Motorcycles, scooters, bicycles? They all use the road system. Leave out the engine, and just make it weight-based, and it will be fair. Business or industry exemptions as needed, IF needed.

Vic

 

I can't find the thread at the moment, but I remember that last year the suggestion of taxing tires was presented. And it makes sense, given that the rate at which a person has to buy tires is probably at least somewhat positively correlated with the degree to which they contribute to wearing out the roads. Heavy vehicles produce a larger strain on the infrastructure than lighter vehicles, and probably go through tires more quickly too (either because they are rougher on the tires, or simply have more of them on a single vehicle). Even if it isn't perfect, it seems like it would be far more accurate than fuel tax, in terms of compensating the government for infrastructure costs.

 

This isn't about being fair, fairness and equity don't exist in government. It's about politicians getting more money so they can buy more votes to stay in power.

 

Considering that weight-based road wear is a polynomial function of weight (fourth power?), and that many business and industry vehicles are far heavier than passenger vehicles, they had better not get an exemption.

 

And the Prius is no light weight. I'm pretty sure it outweighted my old Ranger, which did have a higher registeration fee. Of course my friend's Tahoe is classified as a station wagon in Pa, and the fees are the same as a car's.

 

This is when you get a PO box in another state and register the car there. Then not only does WA not collect the extra tax, they loose the entire registration fee.

 

In NJ that's called fraud.

 

It's not a tax, it's revenue enhancement!

Luckily, the proposal to charge for license plates for bicycles here in NY has been shelved (for now, anyway.)

Bicycle license plate proposal pulled

 

They sort of do this on the large bridges around here. You pay by the number of axles on the vehicle trying to cross.

 

Passed by the state Senate today.

 

Dang!!! George was pretty prescient, I must admit:

"if you drive your car i'll tax the street..."

 

Typical politicians......

They may loose more money printing and implementing the tax then they get from it. Government grows, the citizens are poorer and only a very small minority benefit.

 

I think in most states it is a form of fraud. That being said many people do it and you have to account for potential fraud when you make laws.

This is another way that that the WA electric car tax may actually cause the state to LOOSE money instead of making it by increasing taxes.

 

Just in case those in Washington want to know who voted for and against SB 5251 / Electric Car Tax.

ESSB 5251 Electric vehicle license fee Senate vote on 3rd Reading & Final Passage 3/29/2011
Yeas: 30 Nays: 16 Absent: 1 Excused: 2
Voting Yea: Senators Becker, Benton, Brown, Chase, Conway, Delvin, Fraser, Hargrove, Harper, Hatfield, Haugen, Hewitt, Hobbs, Honeyford, Keiser, King, Kline, Kohl-Welles, McAuliffe, Morton, Nelson, Parlette, Pflug, Prentice, Regala, Roach, Rockefeller, Schoesler, Shin, and Swecker
Voting Nay: Senators Baumgartner, Baxter, Eide, Ericksen, Fain, Hill, Holmquist Newbry, Kastama, Kilmer, Litzow, Murray, Pridemore, Ranker, Stevens, Tom, and White
Absent: Senator Carrell
Excused: Senators Sheldon and Zarelli

Interesting note Senator White who was a sponsor of the bill ended up voting against it..seems odd.

 

I also agree, as long as it's done fairly.
The Ranger's curb weight is close to the Prius', but it could potentially load up with more. So the truck registration fee is higher than the car, and the fees for larger class trucks get progressively higher.

I'm cool with that.

I'm not cool with the flat car rate. You could stuff the lead bricks from the Ranger into a Passat wagon without exceeding its payload, and still pay the same fee as the Prius, Camry, Smart, or 70's land barge.

I'm really not cool with Pennsylvania's handling of SUVs. They are classified as station wagons and fall under the car registration rates. It was cheaper for my friend to register his Tahoe than my Ranger.

 

They should tax skinny people for not eating enough.