All I hear is blither and blather but the hard choices have yet to be made.
So gasoline prices for all go up to heights not seen in 25 years. The
counter-argument is made that a gallon is still a bargain compared worldwide.
Bullsh___t. Don't tell me that. It serves no good because gas is
bought here and now, not 10 years ago, not 20, not in England and not in
Japan. I remember how much it was last week, and last month, so this
increase sucks my money today.
I see an increasing number of SUV's that get poor gas milage
increasingly crowding out the economical, smaller cars. They suck gas down
the fuel injectors with poor gas milage, create danger for smaller cars,
traffic jams, and all in all, serve little in a city except a social
function. And I pay for their increased use of gas which in part creates a
deficit by higher prices, an example of supply & demand in action.
I have a plan. Let every gas pump be linked via computer to the auto
registry of its state. To obtain gas, the licence of the car must be
inputted and the tax is returned automatically to the pump as specified by
the type of vehicle. That verifies the type of car...and let the taxes on
the car be apportioned. A car that gets 80 miles to the gallon...no
taxes...a car that gets 10 miles to the gallon gets a surcharge 3x that of
a car that gets 20 miles to the gallon. Etc...
This is only an idea that needs to be fleshed out. I do want to buy gas in
Massachusetts when I am there even though my car is licensed in New
Jersey. Make up a scheme but that is besides the point. The American way
has become user's fees for everything else. Social concern died with
Reagan. So in this brave new world, if you want to buy an SUV, do it, but
pay the penalty of gas taxes.
Bill
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