THE DRIVING TAX
2 cents per mile
50 cents per gallon
$3500 for each new SUV, Minivan and truck
http://fixtraffic.org/drivingtax.html
http://fixtraffic.org/
On April 28, Assembly Bill 1058 passed an assembly commitee with a whopping 8-3 vote. UPDATE: IT HAS NOW PASSED THE SENATE, IS HEADED TO THE ASSEMBLY AND ON THE FAST TRACK TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK! This bill will give California Air Resources Board the go ahead to work on ways to reduce "greenhouse gases." In one report CARB authored, they suggested the per mile tax, gas tax increase and SUV tax. Proponents of the bill are quick to argue that this bill does not raise taxes and CARB does not have the authority to enact any of their suggestions.
That is true, because legislation to enact these ideas would have to come out of the state legislature. However, the state is in a big budget mess right now and politicians are scrambling to find more revenue. If CARB comes back and says that we NEED these taxes to "reduce emissions," then the politicians can hide behind CARB when they institute these taxes. When people complain, they can simply claim that they did it for the environment and that CARB said they had to do it.
This is a combination money grab by Sacramento and a contiunation of the "car is evil" mantra. The government continues to use the car as a cash cow, while simulatenously making it harder for you to drive by refusing to make desperately needed highway improvements. Politicians can morally justify taking grabbing money from motorists because, after all, you should not be driving anyway.
UKK!!!