Posted on 09/07/2006 12:30:03 PM PDT by calcowgirl
Supporters of the Proposition 87 oil tax initiative on the November ballot yesterday launched a caravan of alternative energy-powered vehicles from San Diego across the state to promote their measure, which would pay for research into cleaner-burning fuels.
“Prop. 87 will bring cleaner air and cheaper energy to make us healthier, wealthier and safer,” said Anthony Rubenstein, sponsor of the initiative. “Prop. 87 replaces imported oil with fuels made right here at home.”
He made his case at Pearson Ford Fuels, the only service station in the state that features a full menu of alternative fuels.
Proposition 87 seeks to reduce gasoline and diesel consumption in California by 25 percent over the next 10 years by taxing oil extracted in the state to finance a $4 billion alternative energy program.
Although the Nov. 7 election is two months away, a major anti-87 television advertising campaign has been airing for weeks, financed largely by energy companies.
As of June 30, supporters of Proposition 87 had barely $700,000 in the bank, while opponents were sitting on a war chest of nearly $9 million.
“We're not fighting Goliath, we're fighting Goliath's big brother,” said Rubenstein, a one-time screenwriter who calls himself a community activist. “There's nobody more powerful in California than the oil companies that run Sacramento and Washington.”
Opponents of Proposition 87 contend the measure would drive up gasoline prices.
“If you're going to tax oil production in California, you're going to get less of it,” said Scott Macdonald, spokesman for the No on 87 campaign. “You have to replace that with something else and that's going to be foreign oil.”
Macdonald said opponents of the initiative have no objection to developing alternative energy sources.
“This is not a discussion of whether we need alternative fuels and alternative-fuel vehicles,” he said. “We are all on board with that need. The question is whether Proposition 87 is the answer and the answer is no.”
On that score, oil companies have no credibility, said Mike Lewis, owner of Pearson Ford Fuel and chairman of the San Diego Environmental Foundation.
“The reason we need Prop. 87 is because when you leave it to the large energy companies, in my experience, you end up with a lot of billboards – a lot of people talking about alternative fuels,” Lewis said. “It takes three guys in San Diego to build a thing like this. This station offers choices; Prop. 87 offers choices.”
A statewide Field Poll conducted in July showed a bare majority of the likely general-election voters, 52 percent, favoring Proposition 87, with 31 percent opposed and the rest undecided.
Historically, support for ballot propositions declines as the campaign progresses and the opposing arguments are aired.
Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo speculated that many voters fear they will be affected indirectly by the tax, even though Proposition 87 expressly prohibits oil companies from passing the tax along to consumers.
“There's resistance by Republicans and conservatives and I think it has to do with their reluctance in believing that this won't be passed along to them,” DiCamillo said.
No whining from Ca. liberals about high gasoline prices!
...less consumption is your goal, right?
(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )
(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )
Interesting story in Us News and World Report of the actual cost, in energy dollars, of producing so-called green vehicles.
In energy dollars, a Prius is about the same as a full-sized SUV.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/060331/31hybrids.htm
California wants to dump transportation money into everything except what works. Instead of more roads, we get HOV lanes and unused public transportation. Instead of refineries we get pie-in-the-sky-when-you-die promises of nonpolluting, renewable fuels somewhere in the distant future.
Can't wait to vote this b.s. down.
Thanks for the link! Very interesting analysis.
Just one of many. I'll be doing anything but "staying home" this election!
I just wonder what this undisclosed research is about. We have been paying for research in alternate power for 30 years. That's enough!
Think I'll have to get me a Humvee.
Same here. As it stand now though, I won't be voting for Arnie.
You're welcome.
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