Washington State Pushes Electric Cars, Then Taxes Owners

Henrin said:

So therefore it doesn't cover the cost of repair needed for the use of the vehicle. Yeah, that seems to support my argument.

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so, now you are arguing that the tax is not high enough
make up your mind, people!

iliveonramen said:

The tax rebate was on the purchase of an electric car. The 100 dollar fee is a tax on driving that car on public roads. Those are two different things.

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As long as Government gets it's money you don't care

If it lies, cheats, steals, you could care less.

The fact of the matter is here in CA there is a 66 cent tax for every gallon of gas right now and guess what. The roads and bridges are falling apart. The roads and bridges are in disrepair. Traffic jams are the norm. Not the exception. Obama's "Stimulus" was supposed to fix all this stuff, but as is typical of Government, hardly any of the money went towards where it was promised to be set aside for. Politicians raid the funds and use that money to pay for other services, or Obama used the money to pay off his crony campaign bundlers. (Solyndra)

Not to mention licensing and registration fees, as well as actual sales taxes on cars sold as well. You also pay taxes on the electricity that is used to power these vehicles. So there goes your strawman. Giving incentive with one hand. Taking it away with another.

Since the government and taxpayers are hugely underwriting electric cars, there should be huge penalty taxes on them - more like $25,000 tax per car and then $2000 a year after for all the infrature government subsidizes for those oddities.

joko104 said:

Since the government and taxpayers are hugely underwriting electric cars, there should be huge penalty taxes on them - more like $25,000 tax per car and then $2000 a year after for all the infrature government subsidizes for those oddities.

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That would defeat the purpose of the subsidies.

iliveonramen said:

So you believe that if you buy an electric car you no longer have an obligation to provide revenue to fund the roads you drive on?

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They should contribute to the roads, but the state should have diverted some of the money they collect from electricity rates since presumably the people using electric cars are using more electricity.

Bottom line is: Would you feel you got screwed?

Answer: Yes.

Road use taxes should be based on vehicle weight....and they pretty much already are. Heavier vehicles use more fuel, pay more taxes.
A pedestrian or bike doesn't damage roads....a semi hauling 2 trailers does...

AliHajiSheik said:

They should contribute to the roads, but the state should have diverted some of the money they collect from electricity rates since presumably the people using electric cars are using more electricity.

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Or they can just get rid of the consumption tax all together and assess fees on registration. That way you can issue fees by vehicle size which has well more to do with damage to roads than anything else.

Maybe states should be given ownership of fed roads and we could get rid of the fed gas tax altogether. States would of course have to tax gas to take care of their new roads but I have to believe it would be more efficiently run at the state level than by bureaucrats in DC.

sawyerloggingon said:

Maybe states should be given ownership of fed roads and we could get rid of the fed gas tax altogether. States would of course have to tax gas to take care of their new roads but I have to believe it would be more efficiently run at the state level than by bureaucrats in DC.

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What Federal roads? Interstates are state roads under federal standards and yes, funded with federal dollars

AliHajiSheik said:

What Federal roads? Interstates are state roads under federal standards and yes, funded with federal dollars

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The point is get rid of the nearly 50 cent a gallon fed gas tax that supposedly funds the interstate highway system and let each state maintain the portion that goes through it. Seems like we could keep a better eye on how the gas tax is spent at a local level.

Ray410 said:

Bottom line is: Would you feel you got screwed?

Answer: Yes.

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No, I would realize that even electric vehicles should pay a share of road maintenance.