after realizing that oil has recently had horribly disruptive events unlike anything any nightmare oil corporations ever conceiver could actually happen, and realizing that the future of fossil fuel production might not be smooth sailing as it has in the past.... resulting in the likelihood of electric vehicles, which are easily recharged by solar or hydroelectric sourced (environmentally green) electricity... I just read something that brought up the problems with electric vehicles....
they don't pay gas taxes to keep the govt funded roads maintained.
So, it seems the idiotic mandates from California's moron hypocrite soon to be ex-governor to not allow internal combustion engine (ICE) powered cars to be sold until long after he's out of office, circa 2030, would begin the slow process of diminishing the gas tax revenue that ICE vehicles
Last week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee—the guy who, while running for president two years ago, proposed a nationwide ban on sales of gas-powered cars by 2030—vetoed a statewide ban on gas-powered car sales by 2030.
In the US, state and federal motor fuel taxes account for more than 40 percent of transportation funding—the largest revenue source. But the federal government hasn’t raised the gas tax since 1993, when it was fixed at 18.4 cents a gallon. Since 2008, Congress has allocated additional funds from elsewhere, but the situation is not sustainable: the Congressional Budget Office says that if the funding system doesn’t change by 2030 federal transportation funding will exceed its budget by $188 billion. At least 36 states have increased their fuel taxes since 2010 to bring in more money.
In the US, state and federal motor fuel taxes account for more than 40 percent of transportation funding—the largest revenue source. But the federal government hasn’t raised the gas tax since 1993, when it was fixed at 18.4 cents a gallon. Since 2008, Congress has allocated additional funds from elsewhere, but the situation is not sustainable: the Congressional Budget Office says that if the funding system doesn’t change by 2030 federal transportation funding will exceed its budget by $188 billion. At least 36 states have increased their fuel taxes since 2010 to bring in more money.
Frankly speaking it's not the problem with vehicles itself or what power them but with legislature. No mater what is pushing your vehicle, you still use road... or at least you should, let's leave the sidewalks for pedestrians. The so called "green" powered vehicle could and should have purchase allowances ect. but they should pay same tax for infrastructure support as they use it in the same way as gas powered cars.
ReplyDeleteHow to enforce this is whole different question. Gas tax is easy to implement because you as car user have nothing to say about that, it's excise tax on the fuel itself put on provider of gas, bypassing you. You can't do this on energy due to its universal method of obtaining. In theory one solution would be implementation of, let's say "infrastructure tax" on non gas vehicles user... and we all know how people LOVE new taxes. At the same time what with hybrids? They double taxes? One in gas tax other in infrastructure tax?
You raised a serious problem, it seems to me that the tax regulations do not keep up with the changes in this regard. With the significant increase in "green" vehicles on the road, ignoring the financial impacts for infrastructure will require budget adjustments and either increasing taxes as such (which will happen anyway, increasing taxes is a sure thing forever) or increasing debts of local and federal administrations.
The mileage tax is interesting idea I see some pros and cons of that. I would like to hear about some other ideas in this matter.
uhh, no the govt wont simply download the miles traveled, or send a person out to look at the odometer of the car or allow the owners to self report the mileage, the govt wont be satisfied until they have a GPS tracker in every vehicle.
ReplyDeletethetas what they always propose, is a tracker in every car.
electric cars are fine for short distances and small cars. but for anything over 175 miles, they simply dont work.
I will be traveling to see family this weekend.
450 miles each way. my full size V-8 4wd SUV gets 16 mpg and will go 390 miles on a tank, and takes about 10 minutes to fill the tank at any of the thousands of stations along the route. we also have a 21 year old turbo diesel 5 speed Volkswagen that gets 40+ mpg and will go 575 on a tank. we paid $3,500 for the SUV last year, and $4000 for the V-W 11 years ago.
But I'm supposed to pay $40+K each for electric cars that only go 175 miles and take hours to recharge, --IF--- i can find a available charging station on a holiday weekend?
dont get me wrong, Im all for not polluting the earth, but politicians are all scumbag liars just out to line their own pockets at our expense. they can ban gasoline vehicles, but do you see them riding in golf carts?
no you do not. they take private jets to conferences on reducing pollution.
they have to, because thats the only way people will ever buy electric cars in mass. is by forcing people to do it. and there isnt enough lithium in the world to make all those batteries, and mining and processing the lithium is hazardous and polluting in itself.
running a leaf blower for 15 minutes pollutes the air more than driving a new toyota camry 1500 miles. california banned commercial trucks manufactured before 2001, but did that reduce pollution? or just move the pollution across an imaginary line on a map? when the new owners of those old trucks, keeps driving them?
A mileage tax for all vehicles seems like the most fair way to assess all types of vehicles - Gasoline, Diesel, hybrid and electric. I think some states are now charging higher registration fees for electric vehicles, because they don't pay gas taxes, but I think it is a flat fee, not related to actual use. But there should probably be an adjustment for weight, as well. A 1-ton pickup is going to put more stress on the roads than a subcompact car.
ReplyDeleteJesse, you are right on the money - literally. I have said this all along. In addition, the charging time for an electric vehicle is long, 35 minutes at the least and two hours or more for a full charge. Compare that to adding gasoline to your tank and going on your way. Until solar power is a rapid conversion, electric vehicles are a fad.
ReplyDeleteThe Vehicle Miles Traveled tax (VMT) is already a thing, Oregon has run an experimental program and deemed it feasible, and a Presidential candidate who is now the US Transportation Secretary is pushing hard for it. It will be a mix of set/variable taxes based on miles driven with higher taxes during high-traffic times and in urban zones. GPS trackers in cars, just the same as in your phone. It's coming, 100%. Electric cars are the future, once the technology matures. They'll get there.
ReplyDeleteLike the VMT it won't be soon, but decades from now the VMT and electric cars will rule the day. The real solution to powering electric cars is safe and endless nuclear power from US designed nuclear power plants, just as they safely power our fleet of US Navy submarines. More people die in car crashes in one day than have been killed in US nuclear power plants in the entire history of US nuclear power plants....the problem is the hippies, not the nukes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_miles_traveled_tax