Lawmakers Considering Fees on Electric Cars
Owning an electric car in Texas could become more expensive under one proposal being considered by state lawmakers to raise money for road construction.
Increasing registration fees on owners of electric cars like the Nissan Leaf is “one of the options on the table,” according to state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, who was vice chairman of the House Transportation Committee last legislative session.
Various transportation-minded lawmakers have said they are set on finding a reliable stream of revenue for transportation this session. Most of the current funding comes from the 38.4 cents in state and federal taxes Texans ...
Comments (22)
Neil Moyer via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ha! EVs pay outrageous registration fees due to higher costs. But, they can't get my EV skateboard...LOL
Luisa Inez Newton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
carbon tax on all fossil fuel use makes more sense. The Irish are doing just that and it not only cuts emissions, it has lowered their deficit.
Scott Chase via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The gas tax hasn't been increased (even for inflation) since 1991. It needs to be raised.
Richard Stewart via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Ill just say this , You try to charge them more theyll just quit buying them rightfully so . If you try to rape Peter to Pay Paul sometimes you neglect to get what you want when Peter is Paul . We are trying to Fix an Economy not break it even more .
Casey Bennett via Texas Tribune on Facebook
As attractive as the 'green' cars may be,,,,they still require(in most places) that some sort of fossil fuel be used to produce electricity. I think they should pay their fair share. If its fair to all ,,,how can it be considered 'singling them out"?
Luisa Inez Newton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
electric cars don't pollute, so why should they pay for others' pollution?
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Photosynthesis
Bambi Clark via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Stupid are they who think gas polluters should be sheltered. Ignorance like this (or tools for oil companies) will destroy this planet.
Kim Feil
The cost is way more higher than you think when you pump gas....use a respirator to cut down on your Benzene exposure....infrared cameras don’t lie about what you breathe. I’d gladly pay a higher tax to not have to ever pump gas into my lungs and my medical bills.
Judy Raddue via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Such a Texas thing to propose... It should be the other way around - give a tax break to hybrids/electrics. Make everyone else pay the piper.
Stephen Pickard via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I dare them to try this in California! I double dare them!
Karen Spivey-Cummings via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Idiots.
Jim Hsu via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The only way to make this fair: charge fees based on annual mileage FOR ALL VEHICLES, or toll most major thoroughfares.
Running a road-maintenance budget deficit, because you still base road use fee projections by the gallon and budget road maintenance costs based on the low MPG expectations of SUVs, is not the fault of the electric/hybrid/high-efficiency vehicle owners. It's the fault of the sub-Neanderthal thinking of lawmakers in Texas to come up with policies that do not support and instead inhibit progress in fuel and transportation efficiency.
Tyler Austin Reilly via Texas Tribune on Facebook
notta lotta smarts in them thar parts
Andrew Goldberg via Texas Tribune on Facebook
what would be fair, moral, or correct about charging fees for smaller, more efficient cars? The Texas GOP makes Lance Armstrong look like Mother Theresa. I cannot believe Texnas tolerate their stupidity. The entire voting population needs to be psychologically evualated.
V Marshall
Washington state is trying to figure out how to track mileage for taxation because they have had a substantial decline in excise tax revenue, but they don't require annual safety inspections. Texas already requires annual vehicle inspections so tracking mileage should be easy. And no one should be exempt. No business tax breaks, everybody pays the same per mile. However how you are going to apply that to the millions of trucks that make their way from Mexico to other parts of the US through Texas is more challenging, and that accounts for a fair amount of road wear.
Ray R. Hernandez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
this is a bad move. right now there needs to be encouragement for driving cars that use less gasoline. in essence, this is a tax on electric cars.
Kenneth Franks
Since the gasoline tax (in Texas) has been diverted to other purposes other than road construction and maintenance, this simply doesn't make sense. This is just more Republican hypocrisy since fees aren't technically taxes and it's also another way to protect the big oil companies. We don't have the money for new roads but it's not because of the small number of electric cars.
Kristen Ogden Smith via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Agreed they should pay less overall than gas-powered vehicles, but use of highways shouldn't be free for anyone. They add to congestion, which requires more roads and more maintenance. Pay for what you use.
Cindy Rhoton Cook via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Texas is an oil state. All the politicians are bought and paid for. I email and make frequent phone calls but we are stuck with the Republican RIGHT who could care less about its citizens or the earth. Karma will get us in the end....
Robert Ruiz via Texas Tribune on Facebook
it's not to raise revenue. it's a ploy to discourage renewable energy. it is a ploy to keep the fossil fuel kings & 1 percenters in pocket money and control of everything US.
Joseph Rescott via Texas Tribune on Facebook
I loved Texas when I lived there, but this is a terrible idea idea, electric vehicles are already expensive enough with the 18% sales tax in Texas there's no way most people can afford them in the first place. Besides that electrics are built as light as possible to increase range, which consequently makes them tear up the roads less than your average vehicle, their "reasoning" behind this is just ignorant. a more viable solution would be adopt an income tax, then all those people who use Texas citizenry to avoid state taxes but live elsewhere can do it for you! or they'd just switch to Florida...