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Washington State Considers Fuel Economy Fee Plan
In a damned if you do-damned if you don't sort of move, a Washington state senator has proposed taxing motor vehicles based on fuel economy, in part to replace state revenue lost as motorists cut back on driving in the face of soaring fuel prices.
The measure, Senate Bill 6932, is similar to a bill that recently failed to pass muster in California.
The California bill, though, would have given rebates to owners of the most efficient vehicles, while the Washington measure envisions a minimum annual tax of $40 even on vehicles that get 50 miles per gallon or better.
The Washington bill seems to penalize motorists for heeding environmentalists' calls to cut back on driving in order to reduce the impact of automotive emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
But Sen. Ed Murray, the Seattle Democrat who is lead author of the measure, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper that the bill "finally takes into account global warming [linked] to the responsibility of owning a vehicle."
Because greenhouse gases are released as carbon-based fuels are burned they are linked directly to a vehicle's gas mileage.
Murray's bill was introduce late last week after Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire's Climate Advisory Team released its recommendations for cutting greenhouse gases.
The panel said it found that the transportation sector is the biggest single cause of greenhouse gas in Washington, Murray said.
Measures suggested by the advisory group include charging tolls to use state roads, boosting parking fees, linking auto insurance rates to miles driven, improving rail transit in the estate and requiring increased use of low carbon fuels.
Murray's bill would ratchet up taxes on less efficient cars and trucks, so the owner of a Toyota Prius or Honda Civic hybrid, for instance, would pay less each year than the owner of a Hummer H3, Lincoln Navigator of Toyota Sequoia.
The tax also would help replace gas tax revenue, which has been slumping as soaring fuel costs have cut into car travel – and thus gas purchases – in the state.
The tax would range from a low of $40 a year for vehicles rated at 49 miles per gallon or better, to $240 a year for vehicles rated at less than 10 miles per gallon.
For heavyweight trucks and SUVs that do not have federal EPA fuel economy ratings, the bill would substitute engine displacement, with engines of 4.0 liters or more subject to the top tax and those of less than 1.5 liters subject to the lowest rate.
The measure, Senate Bill 6932, is similar to a bill that recently failed to pass muster in California.
The California bill, though, would have given rebates to owners of the most efficient vehicles, while the Washington measure envisions a minimum annual tax of $40 even on vehicles that get 50 miles per gallon or better.
The Washington bill seems to penalize motorists for heeding environmentalists' calls to cut back on driving in order to reduce the impact of automotive emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
But Sen. Ed Murray, the Seattle Democrat who is lead author of the measure, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper that the bill "finally takes into account global warming [linked] to the responsibility of owning a vehicle."
Because greenhouse gases are released as carbon-based fuels are burned they are linked directly to a vehicle's gas mileage.
Murray's bill was introduce late last week after Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire's Climate Advisory Team released its recommendations for cutting greenhouse gases.
The panel said it found that the transportation sector is the biggest single cause of greenhouse gas in Washington, Murray said.
Measures suggested by the advisory group include charging tolls to use state roads, boosting parking fees, linking auto insurance rates to miles driven, improving rail transit in the estate and requiring increased use of low carbon fuels.
Murray's bill would ratchet up taxes on less efficient cars and trucks, so the owner of a Toyota Prius or Honda Civic hybrid, for instance, would pay less each year than the owner of a Hummer H3, Lincoln Navigator of Toyota Sequoia.
The tax also would help replace gas tax revenue, which has been slumping as soaring fuel costs have cut into car travel – and thus gas purchases – in the state.
The tax would range from a low of $40 a year for vehicles rated at 49 miles per gallon or better, to $240 a year for vehicles rated at less than 10 miles per gallon.
For heavyweight trucks and SUVs that do not have federal EPA fuel economy ratings, the bill would substitute engine displacement, with engines of 4.0 liters or more subject to the top tax and those of less than 1.5 liters subject to the lowest rate.
Feb 11, 2008 3:58 am
Categories: Emissions | Fuel Economy | Legislation | Tax Incentives
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