On the left is a township's website providing information about discounts for beach parking. I deleted the town's name because that isn't the point or the problem. The problem is an attack on those who are trying to help our environment and reduce the glutton use of gasoline in this country by driving an electric car or hybrid. These owners have to search hard for information on supportive steps for owning a Clean Pass Vehicle, such as the free beach parking. Also they now must deal with many policymakers who want to tax them for driving the very car that helps save money, energy and earth.
Yes, around ten states are looking to tax hybrid and electric car owners to recoup lost highway and road maintenance tax dollars at the gas pumps since they buy less gasoline. Taxes on gasoline provide about 40 percent of state highway funds and about 90 percent for federal. However the non-partisan research group, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, estimates that state and local gas-tax revenue fell 7 percent to $38 billion between 2004 and 2010. So many states are exploring fees on hybrid and electric car owners.
Below a potential buyer tries out the 100% Electric Tesla car:
The possible change to collecting tax based on all the miles driven by cars is scaring policymakers because of concerns with new intrusive technologies keeping track of your milage. So some type of annual fee or registration fee should be more popular than the miles-driven tax. New Jersey drove a plan to charge vehicles by miles traveled, right off the road and are going instead for a flat fee on electric cars. North Carolina wants to have a one hundred dollar annual registration fee for electric car owners and a fifty dollar fee for hybrid owners.
Now, how is that a fair solution when more conventional cars are obtaining comparable gas mileage to hybrid cars? And how is this an ethical solution when we should be trying to encourage gas free driving, not discourage it?
The only fair solution is a transition to a vehicle by the miles tax and Plug In America supports this.
Washington lawmakers have to get over their fear by finding another way to avoid these new intrusive technologies, because they are not needed! The solution is already used and working well, under the name of State Inspections. When everyone takes their car in for the annual state inspection they also get charged for the miles they drove. However, with this transition, prices at the gas pumps must be reduced by the amount of all infrastructure taxes. Now, won't that be a miracle.
Bill Lauto, GTG