Mass. Governor Considering 'Hummer Tax' on Gas Guzzlers

[rohan]

Friday, March 06, 2009 
By Molly Line


SUV owners are already paying more to fill their tanks at the pump. Now, in Massachusetts, they could be forced to pay even more just to hit the road, charged a higher fee when registering their vehicles.

If implemented, the so called 'Hummer Tax' would be the first in the nation.

Click here for a video report from FOX News Channel's Molly Line.

Tim Lerchenfeldt, general manager of Cadillac Hummer Saab Village, a dealership in Norwwood, argues now is not the time for another fee, when sales are down and the auto industry is struggling.

"It's a penalty for driving an SUV, which currently is not the popular choice. Or you're being penalized for a lifestyle choice, or maybe the fact that you have a large family and you need that size vehicle to put them in and it just doesn't seem fair," said Lerchenfeldt, who adds that a given SUV owner may spend less time on the road and burn less gasoline than a given hybrid car owner.

Under the new proposal, owners of more fuel efficient vehicles would pay less. The ultimate goal of the policy is supposedly to get consumers to buy those instead.

"If you're going to make a choice that's counterproductive for the planet, counterproductive for the state, counterproductive for America, then if you want to make that choice, it's America, you can make that choice, but if you have to pay for it, I think that's fair," said Josh Wright, a Toyota Prius owner who lives in the town of Hanover.

The plan to charge larger gas guzzling vehicles more has the backing of Democratic Governor Deval Patrick who admits there are some kinks to work out, like how to protect larger families from being unfairly impacted. The Governor is calling for a wide array of new fees and taxes to fund and fix the state's ailing transportation system, which he says has suffered more than a decade of neglect.

Among the most controversial elements in the plan, Patrick is calling for a 19 cent increase in the state's gas tax. He is appealing directly to voters, crisscrossing the state and holding town hall style meetings, listening to the fears and concerns of Commonwealth residents.

"For the average driver what we're talking about is the equivalent of a large cup of coffee per week, but still, for some people that's a lot." Patrick said, admitting the choices are hard.

As part of the package, Patrick is promising to streamline the state's transportation bureaucracy and put the breaks on government spending.

"I think a gas tax without the reforms is unacceptable. More to the point, I will veto that bill. But, I think reforms without the new revenue doesn't really get us very far."

The administration estimates that up to 19 billion dollars will be needed over the next 20 years to pay down debt and to maintain and update the Massachusetts transportation system.

Click here for more auto news and reviews from FOX Car Report.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,506224,00.html

[Galaxy]

Why don't they just increase gasoline taxes instead of taxing large SUVs seperately? If they want to increase taxes then that seems like the most fair way of doing it. After all a Bugatti Veyron that is driven 2,000miles a year will use less gas then a mid sized car driven every day.

[TBR]

Why don't they just increase gasoline taxes instead of taxing large SUVs seperately? If they want to increase taxes then that seems like the most fair way of doing it. After all a Bugatti Veyron that is driven 2,000miles a year will use less gas then a mid sized car driven every day.

These people don't care about fair.

In Texas vehicles are taxed by curb weight anyway which would largely have the same effect, is that the only state that does that?

[Submariner]

Epic...now the government is dictating to us what styles of cars are better than others. 

[MX793]

These people don't care about fair.

In Texas vehicles are taxed by curb weight anyway which would largely have the same effect, is that the only state that does that?

Registration fees in NY are based on vehicle weight.

[GoCougs]

Why don't they just increase gasoline taxes instead of taxing large SUVs seperately? If they want to increase taxes then that seems like the most fair way of doing it. After all a Bugatti Veyron that is driven 2,000miles a year will use less gas then a mid sized car driven every day.

How about just not increasing taxes at all, for anyone?

This is ridiculous - people who "need" such vehicles ("large families") should be protected from being "unfairly impacted."

This is naked Marxism; can't blame 'em, it's been catching on as of late.

[Galaxy]

How about just not increasing taxes at all, for anyone?

This is ridiculous - people who "need" such vehicles ("large families") should be protected from being "unfairly impacted."

This is naked Marxism; can't blame 'em, it's been catching on as of late.

Yes, but if they do increase taxes then it should at least be straight forward and simply. Not with dozens of exceptions and exceptions to the exceptions and exceptions to the exceptions of the exceptions.

[Speed_Racer]

Yes, but if they do increase taxes then it should at least be straight forward and simply. Not with dozens of exceptions and exceptions to the exceptions and exceptions to the exceptions of the exceptions.

I can't help but think of this...

[sportyaccordy]

How about just not increasing taxes at all, for anyone?

This is ridiculous - people who "need" such vehicles ("large families") should be protected from being "unfairly impacted."

This is naked Marxism; can't blame 'em, it's been catching on as of late.

As long as our money is made on a debt based currency, taxes & the cost of goods will continue to increase to service ever increasing debt. To a degree I can't blame the gov't for looking for any way possible to justify raising taxes.

[AutobahnSHO]

How about charging passenger capacity vs. curb weight??
They could employ thousands in the making of the rules, creating then regulating the system, etc...

The maxi-van owners would be better off than Prius drivers, and H2 owners would get the $haft..

[S204STi]

I can't help but think of this...

Watch it, he might read poetry to you!

[the Teuton]

I'm looking at that picture and at the picture of R-inge's car -- Are they related?

[S204STi]

I'm looking at that picture and at the picture of R-inge's car -- Are they related?

I do just happen to call my car "Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz"

[280Z Turbo]

These people don't care about fair.

In Texas vehicles are taxed by curb weight anyway which would largely have the same effect, is that the only state that does that?

Michigan does it after a vehicle gets old. My Z is only like $32 a year.

Better than taxing them by MSRP like in Michigan. My $650 Saab was nearly $100 for a year.

[giant_mtb]

I'm confused...isn't there already a gas guzzler tax on such vehicles?  Doesn't the Dodge Viper have a gas guzzler tax?  We're already doing this bull shit...rewarding the hybrid snobs and punishing the SUV/truck population.

I just don't get it.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm confused...isn't there already a gas guzzler tax on such vehicles?  Doesn't the Dodge Viper have a gas guzzler tax?  We're already doing this bull shit...rewarding the hybrid snobs and punishing the SUV/truck population.

I just don't get it.

I'm okay with that.

[Tave]

How much of the "neglect" has to do with the billions of dollars they've thrown down that hole in Boston?

[MX793]

I'm confused...isn't there already a gas guzzler tax on such vehicles?  Doesn't the Dodge Viper have a gas guzzler tax?  We're already doing this bull shit...rewarding the hybrid snobs and punishing the SUV/truck population.

I just don't get it.

Yeah, but the state government doesn't benefit from the GG tax, that's a federal tax.

[NomisR]

And you guys say CA is bad..

[TBR]

And you guys say CA is bad..

How's your IOU?

[NomisR]

How's your IOU?

I haven't done my taxes, but they're supppose to be getting 5% interest... better than in the bank. 

[TBR]

I haven't done my taxes, but they're supppose to be getting 5% interest... better than in the bank. 

That is actually pretty good, but what is California's equivalent of the FDIC?

[Tave]

That is actually pretty good, but what is California's equivalent of the FDIC?

[TBR]

?

Would you really trust the Californian government to ever get around to paying you back?

Edit- I think you misunderstood what I meant (I wasn't clear), my implication was that while banks have the FDIC so that if they go out of business your deposit is insured, the Californian government doesn't have such an agency to guarantee your "deposit".

[Tave]

You think Cali is going to "go out of business?"

[TBR]

You think Cali is going to "go out of business?"

I think Cali has severe budgetary problems that aren't going to get better any time soon, if ever. California has had an unbalanced budget for as long as I can remember, do you really think that is going to change and they are going to be able to find the money to pay back their tax payers with interest?

[Tave]

Yes. They'll just borrow it or convince the Fed to give it to them.

[saxonyron]

How much of the "neglect" has to do with the billions of dollars they've thrown down that hole in Boston?

The Big Dig is just a fitting example of how government is run - especially in Massachusetts.  The project was necessary, but once the tax dollars started pouring in, the planners let their imaginations run wild with absurd and overwrought plans, designs, experimental methods - all of which backfired - and absolutely no one gave a shit about where the money was going. I personally know quite a few contractors and laborers who are still laughing at the corruption and greed that ran through every inch of that project.  400% over budget - and 7 or 8 years after it was supposed to be done, the tunnels still leak, problems are still popping up, and the contractors who made literally billions in corrupt profits are laughing their way to the bank.  And everyone in Boston knows it, yet no one is doing anything about it.  What a system! 

That being said, if anyone out there doesn't think that at a minimum 30% of our tax dollars on the state, federal or even local level are pissed down a corrupt and inefficient rat hole, they are utter boobs.  Raise the gas tax?  Raise tolls?  New SUV excise tax?  Who cares! They'll tax anything that they can imagine, regardless of constitutionality or accountability.  Until we have an honest to God taxpayer revolution and demand that these fuckers stop wasting and stealing our hard earned money, our focus shouldn't be on the type of tax, but on getting them to stop spending so much of our money on unconstitutional and fraudulent things, and allowing unbridled waste to run through every government office.

[dazzleman]

The Big Dig is just a fitting example of how government is run - especially in Massachusetts.  The project was necessary, but once the tax dollars started pouring in, the planners let their imaginations run wild with absurd and overwrought plans, designs, experimental methods - all of which backfired - and absolutely no one gave a shit about where the money was going. I personally know quite a few contractors and laborers who are still laughing at the corruption and greed that ran through every inch of that project.  400% over budget - and 7 or 8 years after it was supposed to be done, the tunnels still leak, problems are still popping up, and the contractors who made literally billions in corrupt profits are laughing their way to the bank.  And everyone in Boston knows it, yet no one is doing anything about it.  What a system! 

That being said, if anyone out there doesn't think that at a minimum 30% of our tax dollars on the state, federal or even local level are pissed down a corrupt and inefficient rat hole, they are utter boobs.  Raise the gas tax?  Raise tolls?  New SUV excise tax?  Who cares! They'll tax anything that they can imagine, regardless of constitutionality or accountability.  Until we have an honest to God taxpayer revolution and demand that these fuckers stop wasting and stealing our hard earned money, our focus shouldn't be on the type of tax, but on getting them to stop spending so much of our money on unconstitutional and fraudulent things, and allowing unbridled waste to run through every government office.

I agree that the real issue is overspending, not this or that tax.  But the problem is not so much the government, but the voters.  "I've seen the enemy, and it is us."  Voters continuously want more services from the government than they are willing to pay for, and elect politicians who promise to tax somebody else (whether it be 'rich' people, SUV owners, or implicitly, our grandchildren) to give us what we want.  This has been going on for a long time, and this new administration in Washington has now taken it to unprecedented levels.  We will continue to lurch from one economic crisis to another, ending in economic tragedy, until we grow up and face the fact that we have to pay for what we consume.

[Tave]

The Big Dig is just a fitting example of how government is run - especially in Massachusetts.  The project was necessary, but once the tax dollars started pouring in, the planners let their imaginations run wild with absurd and overwrought plans, designs, experimental methods - all of which backfired - and absolutely no one gave a shit about where the money was going. I personally know quite a few contractors and laborers who are still laughing at the corruption and greed that ran through every inch of that project.  400% over budget - and 7 or 8 years after it was supposed to be done, the tunnels still leak, problems are still popping up, and the contractors who made literally billions in corrupt profits are laughing their way to the bank.  And everyone in Boston knows it, yet no one is doing anything about it.  What a system! 

That being said, if anyone out there doesn't think that at a minimum 30% of our tax dollars on the state, federal or even local level are pissed down a corrupt and inefficient rat hole, they are utter boobs.  Raise the gas tax?  Raise tolls?  New SUV excise tax?  Who cares! They'll tax anything that they can imagine, regardless of constitutionality or accountability.  Until we have an honest to God taxpayer revolution and demand that these fuckers stop wasting and stealing our hard earned money, our focus shouldn't be on the type of tax, but on getting them to stop spending so much of our money on unconstitutional and fraudulent things, and allowing unbridled waste to run through every government office.

Montana is in the exact same boat. It gets millions and millions from the Fed to fix its roads and does absolutely nothing. The money gets siphoned off from one bad idea to the next.