A
gas tax to fund hybrid vehicle tax incentives?
Monday,
January 22, 2007
Let
gas-guzzlers fund hybrid tax credits?
It is not very common to
hear support for a gas tax coming out of Detroit, but that
is exactly what Daniel Howes is supporting in his
DetroitNews column today.
"We Americans can have the collective attention span
of 4-year-olds -- we want what we want when we want it and
complain loudly when we don't get it," Howes begins
his commentary as he ridicules consumers and
"politicians-cum-nannies" whom have tried to
blame everyone but gas-guzzling consumers for high
gasoline prices.
Yet, once prices hit $3.00, consumer behaviour changed
rather quickly, which is exactly why, Howes argues, that a
gas tax - not the vilification of oil companies via taxes,
etc. - would be the "quickest, if not the wisest, way
to cut fuel consumption and change behavior".
Unfortunately, that's probably political suicide, even if
it is the right thing. Inevitably and ultimately
politicians are far more focused on maintaining power than
on doing the right thing - but that's a whole other sad
story.
Automakers and oil companies deserve blame, but consumers
deserve at least as much blame. I think a gas tax is a
great idea - as long as every cent of the tax incentive is
given back to consumers whom buy hybrid
cars and other clean energy technologies.
posted by Dahcredyns
at More
gas tax stories -
The 'Admiral' calls 20 percent reduction in U.S. gas
consumption impossible -
State of the Union and Energy Independence: Power to the People!
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