Floyd letter: Road taxes

In response to Phyllis Terry’s hybrid vehicles letter in the Nov. 25 Statesmen complaining about the “inequitable tax” of $96 for her hybrid vehicle registration, which is higher than for gasoline power vehicles. Gasoline taxes pay for our roads. Since hybrid and electric cars use less or no gasoline, less road tax is collected to maintain roads. The only equitable solution is for non-gasoline users to pay a “use” fee for using the roads. That would be called your fair share.

Here’s a comparison as to how good a deal you’re really getting. The average car is driven 15,000 miles per year. At 30 miles to the gallon that would equal 500 gallons of gasoline/fuel per year at $0.32 per gallon state tax equals $160 per year, not including federal road tax at $0.184 per gallon for our interstates. Based on this you still owe $64 in state tax and $92 in federal tax, or $156 you are not paying to use the same roads as everyone else. You are paying far less tax and spending less or zero dollars for fuel. So in reality you are not being “penalized” for your efforts in protecting the environment.

This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 11:12 PM with the headline "Floyd letter: Road taxes."