What would I do?
March 25th, 2007 |Last week’s spirited discussion got me thinking of some specific things that I would do to change how we generate and burn energy is this country. I will detail some of these ideas over the course of the coming week.
One of the ideas ideas that I have pondered over the last few years has been to revamp the gasoline tax. Instead of assessing a tax based on a percentage of the amount of gasoline that the consumer purchases, I would instead assess the tax based upon the weight of the vehicle as well as the gas mileage that the vehicle gets.
The principal use of gas tax funds (at least it should be) is for the construction and maintenance of roadways. It only makes sense to charge a higher tax rate to heavier vehicles that cause more wear and tear on the roads.
Charging a tax based upon the fuel efficiency of the vehicle allows individuals to have the freedom to drive whatever vehicle they desire but also provides a de facto subsidy to more fuel efficient vehicles. The overall net effect would be an increased demand in the market place for more efficient vehicles. A higher quantity of more efficient vehicles on the road would result in less fossil fuel demand in the United States allowing this country to reduce our dependence on chronic world trouble spots like the Middle East and South America.
Ultimately, my goal would not be to change the overall amount of gasoline tax that is raised, but instead to shift the burden of this tax onto those consumer who insist on driving the heaviest and least efficient vehicles.
I would exempt municipal vehicles used for road maintenance/repair and mass transit from this tax.
