Magnetic
Member
Mileage based, vs registration and charging taxes...
I had thought a per mile fee would be a good approach, same would hold true for a flat registration fee, then I looked at my driving over 40K miles and realized >70% is out of state. Visiting family, friends, sporting events, vacations, etc. My wife drives <10 miles per day 5 days a week, so double it and make it 20 or even 30 miles per day, I'll even make it 7 days a week for fun; 30 * 365 = ~11k, I did 40K, so ~30k is out of state. In this case I am way way way over paying in a mileage based formula, same would hold true for a flat registration fee. I also live on the state border. Unfortunately you can't argue same for gas tax, because I'd be filling up out of state when traveling. So maybe an electric fee at the charging stations would work, but if I am home charging and/or self sufficient, solar, wind, etc how does this get accounted for? Am I an outlier, all the folks who travel out of state each day for work, how do you account for them? They could charge at home but be driving out of state. Tricky situation. Tax at the charging stations - well those on the border drive across and charge up, but if each state taxed at the charger moot point. So maybe it is the charger, how do you account for home charging, separate meter introduces another cost and who reports it and collects it, electric company? I think it is going to have to revolve around the charger to be fair, you will still will have home charging issues.
Tax combo Registration and charging station:
How do you collect for at home charging or at work charging? For argument sake let Work deal with that problem of charging at work. Self reporting, uh no, not that folks tell fibs and don't want to pay the govt anything. Ev tax at registration. If you add in a registration fee it has to be low, because you are already going to pay tax at the chargers for all those who don't have home charging capabilities. How do you balance it, Home chargers would be paying less tax than folks who have to use a charging station and pay the charging tax. The out of state driving is addressed by the charging stations you use out of state, you didn't have to pay mileage fees in state for miles not driven on your in state roads. Those who work and charge out of state or charge at home would be addressed by the registration fee which unfortunately is the same registration fee as those also getting taxed at the chargers. Not a perfect solution, but getting closer. Charging station tax seems fair, but again how do you tax home/work charging will the registration fee properly account for them? What is the higher percentage of the EV population, Home charging or Charging stations and do you set the registration fee based off of this percentage? Not a ideal solution but a starting point.
Tax amount:
Still what is the fair and honest amount to charge for wear and tear on the highways, that is a separate and lively issue. First one must figure out how to properly apply a tax formula. Clearly flat registration fees will not be fair nor will miles...
I had thought a per mile fee would be a good approach, same would hold true for a flat registration fee, then I looked at my driving over 40K miles and realized >70% is out of state. Visiting family, friends, sporting events, vacations, etc. My wife drives <10 miles per day 5 days a week, so double it and make it 20 or even 30 miles per day, I'll even make it 7 days a week for fun; 30 * 365 = ~11k, I did 40K, so ~30k is out of state. In this case I am way way way over paying in a mileage based formula, same would hold true for a flat registration fee. I also live on the state border. Unfortunately you can't argue same for gas tax, because I'd be filling up out of state when traveling. So maybe an electric fee at the charging stations would work, but if I am home charging and/or self sufficient, solar, wind, etc how does this get accounted for? Am I an outlier, all the folks who travel out of state each day for work, how do you account for them? They could charge at home but be driving out of state. Tricky situation. Tax at the charging stations - well those on the border drive across and charge up, but if each state taxed at the charger moot point. So maybe it is the charger, how do you account for home charging, separate meter introduces another cost and who reports it and collects it, electric company? I think it is going to have to revolve around the charger to be fair, you will still will have home charging issues.
Tax combo Registration and charging station:
How do you collect for at home charging or at work charging? For argument sake let Work deal with that problem of charging at work. Self reporting, uh no, not that folks tell fibs and don't want to pay the govt anything. Ev tax at registration. If you add in a registration fee it has to be low, because you are already going to pay tax at the chargers for all those who don't have home charging capabilities. How do you balance it, Home chargers would be paying less tax than folks who have to use a charging station and pay the charging tax. The out of state driving is addressed by the charging stations you use out of state, you didn't have to pay mileage fees in state for miles not driven on your in state roads. Those who work and charge out of state or charge at home would be addressed by the registration fee which unfortunately is the same registration fee as those also getting taxed at the chargers. Not a perfect solution, but getting closer. Charging station tax seems fair, but again how do you tax home/work charging will the registration fee properly account for them? What is the higher percentage of the EV population, Home charging or Charging stations and do you set the registration fee based off of this percentage? Not a ideal solution but a starting point.
Tax amount:
Still what is the fair and honest amount to charge for wear and tear on the highways, that is a separate and lively issue. First one must figure out how to properly apply a tax formula. Clearly flat registration fees will not be fair nor will miles...