Washington Votes Forum

Introduced in the Senate on January 19, 2011, imposes an additional fee of one hundred dollars at the time of initial vehicle registration and annual registration renewal for electric vehicles in order to mitigate the impacts of the diminishing motor vehicle fuel tax. The bill provides an exemption for vehicles that do not travel faster than 35 miles per hour. The fee is effective on vehicle registrations that are due on or after March 1, 2012. The bill provides for the distribution of revenues, after collections reach $1 million: 70 percent to the motor vehicle fund, 15 percent to the transportation improvement account, and 15 percent to the rural arterial preservation account. The fee is repealed if a vehicle miles traveled tax or fee is imposed

The vote was 30 in favor, 16 opposed and 3 not voting

(Senate Roll Call 0 at Senate Journal 0)

Click here to view bill details.

 So now I have to pay tax on the electricity I buy AND the fuel I don't buy.

 Well all those that hail the coming of the electric vehicle and how it will save the environment have now wondered how to get them to pay for the roads they use.

The answer of course is a fee.  At least it will help balance the budget and only those who have bought this feelgood technology will pay for it. 

I can't wait for the windmill fee, the solar cell fee and the microhydro fee...

This is a perfect example of how coercive government truly works. First, you give incentives to people to buy something because the government says its a good thing. In this case, electric vehicles. The federal government gives people a $7500 federal income tax credit to buy an electric car. Then when people have given in to government coercion, they are PENALIZED for doing so by state government. In this case, paying an extra $100 vehicle registration and renewal fee - to "mitigate the impacts of the diminishing motor vehicle fuel tax". So on the one hand, the government wants you to spend a whole lot of money to buy cars they want on the road but when by the purchasing of those cars, the state gets LESS MONEY, they will take more of your money by forcing you to pay a higher vehicle registration tax.