Originally posted by: Kevin Lewis
Then the only fair policy would be to allow people to keep a log of the miles they travel out of state and then allow them to deduct those miles from their overall taxable total. That would of course depend on honest and accurate reporting and it would be on the honor system.
It wouldn't be much different from a business owner reporting vehicle miles as an expense. The IRS doesn't come by and peek at your odometer(s). So of course, there would be fraud and fudging. But the vast majority of people (more than the vast majority of people think) are honest.
I don't see any rational reason to "punish" EV owners by making them pay taxes that they "should" be paying. They're not spewing carbon and other pollutants, so they're inflicting less burden on the body politic than gasoline-powered car drivers. That should translate to less taxation.
BTW, as in years past I drove over 50,000 miles a year (I pretty much went everywhere in the West and Canada as well as several cross-country trips), a mileage tax would have crushed me. I've driven across Texas five times, and I think I should have been paid for doing that. Yuck, what an awful place!
I am curious how a per mile charge would affect car rentals. Would the rental company be charged per mile per vehicle? Will rentals with unlimited mileage go away?
Im okay with keeping it how it is and letting EV "avoid" the tax. But if they are going to make a change I would prefer they figure out a way to put some tax on EVs rather than per mile for everyone. I certainly understand the argument that EVs are also using the road so they should help pay for the road. Especially considering some states might stop registering IC vehicles.
I think that a tax on charging station seems reasonable. Most of them already charge for power so there would just have to be a small surcharge for tax. Maybe a small small one time tax on purchasing a home charging stations also. Those who charge otherwise such as a standard plug will avoid the tax and that's fine.
