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WA State to impose a $75 on hybrids

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Deoc, Aug 17, 2019.

  1. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Does the state post how they determine the value taxed value?
    Different vehicle classes being treated differently wouldn't surprising. Pa doesn't have a tax on value, but SUVs count as a car here, and pay less on registration than pick ups, even smaller ones.
     
  2. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Our local electrical bill is similar, closing in on $10 (CDN) monthly, before they even start accounting for usage:

    upload_2019-8-18_13-15-42.png
     
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  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The fixed account charge is about $6/month here.

    But I see that as legitimate because some of us are 'net zero' solar energy producers, with an annualized energy usage of nothing. And the number of us achieving this will only increase.

    But we still put some costs on the utility, to maintain the lines and service the meters and accounts and mail the bills and process payments. And we also derive benefit from the 'banking' effect of net metering, as we put energy into the bank during summer days and withdraw it at night and during the winter, avoiding needing to buy enough Tesla Powerwalls to store it at home. Though the utility also gets some benefit from this banking, getting some peak generation 'loans' during summer when the hydropower water flows are low, and 'paying us back' during the rainy seasons when river flows increase. But this time shifting is far from ideal.

    For this reason, I expect that the base service charge will need to increase sometime in the near future, to sort of reflect the costs we put on the system while we use it without buying any actual energy. Most of this charge should also apply to non-solar customers, as they are buying all the same benefits except for the 'banking' portion.

    For fairness in this sort of home solar energy environment, a larger portion of the bill thus needs to get shifted away from the energy charge and into the base charge.
     
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  4. Bob Comer

    Bob Comer Active Member

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    I haven't bothered to look it up...
     
  5. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    In the Omaha Nebraska area, the base charge is now $30 for exactly that reason. The lines, meters, poles, and the like all need to be maintained.

    upload_2019-8-18_16-22-47.jpeg
     
  6. Gayguy

    Gayguy New Member

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    HaHa... Please don't, we here in Boston would then be taxed to remove them from the harbor ;) But totally agree with the sentiment.
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    we have a motor vehicle excise tax, $25./$1,000. valuation for the general coffers of each city and town
     
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  8. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    So that would be $750 for a $30K car like my Prime. Is that a one time thing when you buy it or do they hit you with it every year when you renew your license?
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    it's yearly. so when my car was new, at 30k, it was $750. and now at around 10k, it is $250.

    and this is for all cars and trailers, not just ev's. so it doesn't do anything more for road repair compared to gas tax
     
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  10. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    OK, I am not complaining now about my state's $75. new tax.
     
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  11. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Any idea on what the difference would be between your Camry hybrid and the ICE model?
     
  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    in current depreciated value?
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that's why we call it taxachusetts :cool:
     
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  14. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    My state has passed a similar by partisan (1 democrat 80 republicans)
    hybrid fine, my solution is to drive a 1981 Comutacar EV and a 1999 Honda Insight both of which have permanent non expiring plates.

    So no more registration fees for me, my guess is this must be what the state wanted to accomplish
     
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  15. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Yeah.
    New today would be about $95.
     
  16. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    $320?1 Wow that is freaking insane! Also, these laws really do penalize those that do not drive as much...any surcharge should be based on use. And I really do have a problem with penalizing gasoline hybrids like this. Heck, some highly efficient ICE only vehicles can come close or surpass some gasoline hybrids. If they really wanted to be 'fair' they would assess the surcharge on ALL vehicles based on the EPA MPG estimate. Our government at work...sigh. :rolleyes:

    At least in MN they did the 'right thing' and are NOT assessing a surcharge on gasoline hybrids....for now.
     
    #36 farmecologist, Aug 20, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2019
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Here here. (y)
     
  18. m8547

    m8547 Senior Member

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    It's really expensive to own a new (or new-ish) car in Colorado. We pay 8.something% sales tax including on used cars. I just paid $480 to renew the registration on my 2018 Prime that's 1 year old now. That will slowly decrease by some depreciation schedule. I still pay $73 to register my 12 year old car, plus $25 for emissions test every other year.

    It seems to be nearly impossible to calculate the registration fee, but based on a table I found it works out to a total 8.29% of the MSRP over the first 10 years, and that's just for the tax portion, not including all the bridge fees and stuff (probably $70 a year).

    And there's a $50 fee for EVs, not sure if it's lower for PHEVs, but I think it is around $25.
     
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  19. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Most of that is not hybrid-specific. The huge line item is for mass transit development. It doesn't help that the government's depreciation table is absurdly slow.
     
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  20. The Electric Me

    The Electric Me Go Speed Go!

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    Hey, I don't even own a Prius anymore.
    But things like this bother me.
    Because I just basically feel that if you've decided to invest into a Hybrid, burn less fuel, less emissions, that should be encouraged, not in any way discouraged.
     
    #40 The Electric Me, Aug 20, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2019