States begin to implement fees on electric cars as gas tax revenues decrease

 The Federal and State governments are in the business of identifying things which are not good for an individual and implementing taxes as a means, so they say, to dissuade people from engaging in the activities it deems unsafe.

  Smoking is easily the best example of this mindset, as is the recent push by many in the government to tax sugary drinks, limit sodium in products, regulate trans fats, and of course taxing gasoline and coercing people into driving more fuel efficient vehicles.

  This post is not meant to diminish the negative effects of any of these products because we all know that smoking and consuming too much sugar or salt is not good for you, but rather to highlight the real goal of the government when it decides to tax us for our own good.

    The Federal and State governments know that they can get away with taxing an activity once they are successful in turning public opinion against it and that is why smokers are the first to pay the price when the government deems it needs more revenue. See, the government really does not care about a person’s well-being, they are only concerned with exploiting a person’s weakness for monetary gain in the form of taxes.

  The government understands that people are addicted to cigarettes, sugar, and salt and will pay whatever taxes are asked of them no matter what so they take advantage of these people. It is much the same when it comes to gas and oil; they do not care about the environment, only in taking advantage of environmental issues to line the pockets of the government.

  The government has taxed gas and implemented more rigid fuel efficiency regulations under the guise of saving the environment from fossil fuels when in reality they are merely looking to make a few dollars from the gas tax.

  It seems to be working as more and more people are buying electric cars, but that has backfired on the government because they are seeing gas tax revenues decrease and now must look for ways to replenish the tax revenues they are now losing as a result of their policies.

  This is why many states are now looking at a tax on miles driven in addition to the gas tax, and now some states are actually looking at punishing people who buy electric cars by introducing new fees on people who decide to heed the government’s recommendations.

States are quickly learning that promoting electric cars is coming with a high price tag. Colorado has joined a growing number of states that are imposing fees on electric and alternative vehicles to recover “lost” gas tax revenues.

As of this year, Coloradans driving electric, alternative fuel and high-efficiency vehicles will pay a $50 registration fee to capture more revenue from vehicles that use less traditional gasoline. This is part of a growing trend by which states are looking to recoup declining gas tax revenues as vehicles become more fuel efficient and drivers buy more electric vehicles.

Colorado is one of at least five states that have special fees on hybrid and electric vehicles — Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington. Earlier this year, Oregon lawmakers were discussing a bill that would impose a fee on electric cars and those getting 55 miles per gallon or better.

“States are increasingly looking at how to recoup ‘lost’ gas tax revenues for electric and hybrid vehicles. In addition to fees on such vehicles, many states tax alternative fuels, sometimes including electricity,”

  First they taxed people who made the decision to buy gas guzzlers and now they are looking at new ways to tax people who do not buy gas guzzlers. Does that sound like a government which is only interested in saving the planet?

 It seems to me that if the government was truly concerned about the environment that a reduction in revenue would be a small price for them to pay in return for saving the planet. After all, we are being asked by the government to sacrifice in order to save the planet so shouldn’t they also be willing to sacrifice in the form of lost revenue in order to save the planet if that was the real goal? But of course that is not the goal…..