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Joan, although I haven't checked your arithmetic it passes the "sniff
test." I too thought that that Mr. Just's claim was a case of
post-purchase rationalization which had succumbed to self-serving
embellishment. Of course the reporter may have tweaked the numbers for
a bit of rank sensationalism as well. But let's not spend the day
picking the fly sh_t out of the pepper. <br>
<br>
I know it's unfair to answer a question with a question, but this
requires a bit more thinking. Are Democrats concerned about the
potential regressive
nature of a direct use tax and its affects on the
poor and the working poor? In that context, how does it compare to the
gasoline tax? What is your reaction to the privacy issue? <br>
<br>
Tom Hansen thinks that this has no legislative legs due to big oil
interests. On the contrary, this places less of a burden on gas
guzzlers (assuming of course that this tax replaces some of the current
gas tax - but one should never second guess the stupidity of any
legislative body.) Additionally, this is at the state level so a much
higher amount of unwieldy legislation is due to be produced. On Tom's
point though, is there really any environmental implication?<br>
<br>
I ask because this is one of those articles that has some real
prescience in its subject matter. What do I know, I live in Montana
and I drive a 15 year old pick-up truck. I am, however, quite
interested in everyone's opinion.<br>
<br>
Dave Budge<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Joan Opyr wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="midBAY10-DAV257747A3C46084578ADF54C56B0@phx.gbl">
<div>Professor Budge,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I guess my question would be what, comparatively speaking, is
the damage done by a lightweight hybrid that gets 51 miles per gallon
as opposed to something that costs $500 a month in gas? Let's do the
math here -- my car (a 1995 Mercury Tracer) gets 37 miles to the
gallon, which means that I'd use 54.06 gallons of gas to drive 2000
miles, the number cited by Mr. Jason Just as the total of his monthly
commute. In Moscow, at present, gas is $1.88 per gallon, so I'd pay
$101.63 for my 2000 miles. Even with his 51 mpg hybrid, Mr. Just says
that he's only saving about $300 per month. Either gas is much more
expensive where Mr. Just lives, or he's clocking up more than 2000
miles per month. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Assuming a gas price of $1.88 per gallon (just for the hell of
it), I have to wonder what kind of vehicle Mr. Just was commuting his
2000 miles a month in that could possibly have cost him $500 to
operate? Was it by any chance Ford Excursion? Or a Humvee? Or a
combine harvester? Because (and ya'll feel free to correct my math
here) it looks to me like Mr. Just was only getting 7.52 miles to the
gallon. I also own a 1976 Chevy Suburban that mostly sits in my
driveway and drips oil, but when I do break it out of the mothballs,
even it gets about 12 mpg.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>So here's the thing -- if you insist on commuting 2000 miles per
month in a combine harvester rather than a gas/electric hybrid, then
I'd guess that you were doing more road damage than you would if you
switched to a lighter weight, more pavement-friendly Toyota Prius.
Hence, it doesn't really matter if the states are collecting less at
the pump; it should all even out because they'll need to perform less
road maintenance. Or, to put it another way, those vehicles which do
the most damage to the road, AKA large trucks, SUVs, and tractor
trailers, will be justly obliged to pay the bulk of the gas taxes.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>How's my Democratic answer, Professor Budge? Did I pass the
exam?</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment</div>
<div><a href="http://www.auntie-establishment.com">www.auntie-establishment.com</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<blockquote
style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px;">
<div
style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;">-----
Original Message -----</div>
<div
style="background: rgb(228, 228, 228) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none; color: black;"><b>From:</b>
David M. Budge</div>
<div
style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>Sent:</b>
Tuesday, February 15, 2005 1:08 PM</div>
<div
style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>To:</b>
Vision2020 Moscow</div>
<div
style="font-family: Arial; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size-adjust: none;"><b>Subject:</b>
[Vision2020] Tax by the mile</div>
<div> </div>
(I emailed this previously, but it seems to have fallen into the bit <br>
bucket - if a duplicate is delivered I apologize in advance)<br>
<br>
What say you to this Republicans and Democrats?<br>
<br>
Dave Budge<br>
<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="http://www.cbsnews.com"><http://www.cbsnews.com></a><br>
------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
States Mull Taxing Drivers By Mile<br>
CORVALLIS, Ore., Feb. 14, 2005<br>
<br>
<br>
College student Jayson Just commutes an odometer-spinning 2,000 miles a
<br>
month. As CBS News Correspondent Sandra Hughes reports, his monthly gas
<br>
bill once topped his car payment.<br>
<br>
"I was paying about $500 a month," says Just.<br>
<br>
So Just bought a fuel efficient hybrid and said goodbye to his <br>
gas-guzzling BMW.<br>
<br>
And what kind of mileage does he get?<br>
<br>
"The EPA estimate is 60 in the city, 51 on the highway," says Just<br>
<br>
And that saves him almost $300 a month in gas. It's great for Just but <br>
bad for the roads he's driving on, because he also pays a lot less in <br>
gasoline taxes which fund highway projects and road repairs. As more
and <br>
more hybrids hit the road, cash-strapped states are warning of rough <br>
roads ahead.<br>
</blockquote>
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