Poll: Make gas guzzlers pay higher fees

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 4/3/8 | Michael Cabanatuan

[SmithL]

Californians support the idea of charging "green" vehicle fees that would make drivers of gas guzzlers pay higher taxes and offer discounts for those driving less-polluting vehicles, according to a survey by a transportation researcher at San Jose State University.

The state now charges drivers registration and licensing fees and gasoline taxes at rates that do not take into account vehicles' pollution levels. But the survey, conducted by Asha Weinstein Agrawal, a research associate with the university's Mineta Transportation Institute, found that Californians would support a variety of taxes and fees to raise money for transportation improvements as well as combat global warming, including:

-- Raising vehicle registration fees, which now average $31, to an average of $62 and having higher-polluting vehicles pay higher rates and cleaner cars lower rates.

-- Offering rebates of up to $1,000 for people who buy new cars that emit very little pollution and levying a surcharge of as much as $2,000 on those purchasing gas hogs.

-- Levying a mileage-based tax that would replace the 18-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax. The per-mile amount would vary depending on how much a vehicle polluted the air.

"The public is very supportive of these green taxes and fees," said Agrawal. "This shows that it is realistic to improve the way we collect transportation taxes in this state."

...

Bills in the works

Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-Antioch, has proposed legislation that would allow, with local voter approval, regional transportation agencies to impose a "greenhouse gas mitigation and funding fee" on motor vehicle registrations. And Assemblyman Mike Feuer, D-Los Angeles, has proposed a gas tax increase of up to 9 cents a gallon, or a $90 registration fee hike,

[Slapshot68]

Isn’t there already a gas guzzler tax?

[SmithL]

But the survey, conducted by Asha Weinstein Agrawal, a research associate with the university's Mineta Transportation Institute

No bias there, I'm sure.

[BigBobber]

Already taken care of by the gas tax. The more gas you burn, the more tax you pay.

[DuncanWaring]

Guzzle down twice as many gallons, pay twice as much of the per-gallon tax.

[ontap]

If a person is driving a gas gussler he is already paying more taxes. California is becoming a real socialist state. i don’t know if there is a possibility of it5 recovering.

[Eurale]

Make liberals pay higher income taxes.

[WayneS]

Since there are massive taxes on gasoline already don’t “gas guzzlers”, by definition, already pay higher “fees”?

“Fee”, from the standpoint of government, being simply another name for tax.

[WayneS]

BECOMING?

[EggsAckley]

They make it sound like every gas guzzler is some kind of over-kill exotic Hummer or something. I need my utility van for the work I do......I can’t help it if it happens to be a guzzler.

[boycottliberalhollywood.com]

They make it sound like every gas guzzler is some kind of over-kill exotic Hummer or something. I need my utility van for the work I do......I can’t help it if it happens to be a guzzler.

Actually, you CAN help it. Let's say you make cabinets for a living. You drive your guzzler van to some rich guy's home to hang some nice cabinetry in their wine tasting patio. You tell the guy "Well, you see, you're using a lot of cabinets, fella, and we're going to have to add on a Cabinet Guzzer Tax of an additional 25%, since after all, it's only fair."

[drc43]

MORE Class warfare.

[cyberaxe]

every gas guzzler is some kind of over-kill exotic Hummer or something

.....my Hummer is neither "over-kill" nor "exotic".....

.....just a big green truck that can go off road better than my pick-up.....

.....and has the same engine and MPG as my pick-up.....

.....it's just the "chic" target de'jore of the panty wasted left commie tree huggin wussies that want to penalize me for having the "means" to drive what I want.....

[The Great RJ]

If we uses taxes to discourage buying gas guzzlers and people do in fact switch to higher mileage cars there will be less tax revenue from gasoline taxes. Kind of a vicious circle.

[Gritty]

Coming soon to your neighborhood...

In London, A Levy for Sins of Emmission

[swain_forkbeard]

Don’t “gas guzzlers” already pay more because they use more gasoline? Unless they don’t use more gasoline because they don’t drive so much. In which case, what’s the problem?

[EggsAckley]

You’re right of course. Hummer wasn’t really the word I was looking for. But you got my point.

~</;o)

[taxcontrol]

I am so glad I left Kalipornistan

[babyfreep]

Make liberals pay higher income taxes.

Makes sense to me. Heck, you'd think they'd be happy to contribute more by themselves...they could get that warm fuzzy and superior feeling all at the same time.

[cyberaxe]

....lol....

.....sorry, after 5 years of stupid remarks and questions from dumb-arses at gas stations.....

.....I've gotten thin skinned in my grumpy old age.....

.....and yes I got your point.....

.....and I feel your pain!.....;)