Tired of importing ever increasing amounts of oil from countries that hate us? Tired of funneling money into the coffers of groups that wish us ill? Then here's the solution. UroTrash's Plan to End American Dependence on Foreign oil. Stick: $4/gallon tax at the pump. +/- rebate to low income on tax return if you want to get fancy. Carrot: Issue 2 types of federal license plates. Green ones for cars that get over 35 MPG and red ones for cars and trucks that get less than 35 MPG. The green tag cars can legally go 10 MPH faster on any road (or in the interstates if you wish) than can the red ones. To go faster, most people would buy the more efficient car, at least I would. You welcome. Any other problems you need help with?
They get to cheat by an extra 10 explicitly or implicitly. Speeding fines for green tag cars: $20. Speeding fines for red tag cars: $2000.
I thought you wanted a solution? Now you have to open new Federal and State office buildings to create more beaurocracy, paperwork, train civil servants to understand how the system works, pay them, spend more money on environmentally friendly license plates that differ from the existing ones and of course, all of this needs more tax dollars to feed the system, then next year they need to spend more than what they had last year to justify that they need more money for the next year.... shall I go on?
There's a $4 per gallon tax to pay for all that waste. Actually it would be pretty cheap to issue colored stickers and implement the different fine system. Imagine if you had a green sticker and you knew your fine would be really low. There wouldn't be hardly any red cars. Realize, I'm making this up as I go, any thing to save my country.
Every time the license tags are renewed, assess a fine or tax on cars with poor mileage (gas guzzler every year, essentially). Use the city EPA rating. 30 mpg = $0/yr 25 mpg = $300/yr 20 mpg = $500/yr 15 mpg = $1000/yr 10 mpg = $2500/yr This would apply to all vehicles regardless of age. Reduced fines could be made for classic vehicles with restricted yearly allowable mileage. Converted vans for handicapped people could be exempt. Other than that, if you want to drive a Hummer, pay up. Right now it simply doesn't make sense to trade for say, a Ford Escape Hybrid. Roughly speaking, you would have to drive 100,000 miles in the hybrid to make up the difference in price between standard gas Escape, at $2/gallon. Even at $4/gallon you probably wouldn't break even until most people are ready to trade. Without punishing everyone with $6 gas, this tax would also serve to clean out all of the old guzzlers. No one would drive a '91 Suburban if it costs them $2500/yr in fines. That Suburban would be cigarette lighters in no time. Classic and sports cars would still exist. The cost of renewing your Diablo will just be calculated into the cost of ownership for toys like this.
You know what is funny is my 851 always gets mid 40's, while the new 600cc bikes only get high 30's. They make a little more power than the old Duck, of course, but you would think their lighter weight and aerodynamics would help them.
Sorry, but I disagree with adding tax for anything. The govt is wayyyy too bloated as it is, and already sucks up too much of my money. Increasing taxes is NOT the answer. Edit: And don't tell me that this will reduce other taxes, by providing income for the govt. That's not the way the govt works. They always try to suck up more of our money. Next...
Does that mean I need to give up my "Friends of OPEC" decoder ring and license plate frame? I ignore speed suggestions, so can I combine a 30mph fudge??
You and Dom are officially exempted from the taxes, fines and speed limits. Remember, I'm making this up as I go.
How 'bout droppin' the fuel tax? How 'bout lightening the EPA standards so we're not paying to manufacture the perfect fuel? Just a thought, fleeting as it may be... d
So how does fuel work again? EPA says my X5 4.4i should get around mid teens. My onboard computer says I get about 8mpg.
Uro this is an interesting idea, but how would you address the swapping of a red tag engine into a green tag chassis?
As long as their is annual milage exemption. Ie, cars driven less then 3000 miles a year are exempt, I 'do not disapprove' of it. (SJB's idea)
It is a joke; truckers often leave their trucks running so the AC/heater still works while they sleep.
Prison. Think I'm kidding? This is matter of national security, everybody needs to feel they are sacrificing equally.
