Washington Votes Forum

I agree with the above comment that fuel tax would be preferable but most people don't need such large displacement engines. 2.0 liter engines come in configurations powerful enough to propel almost any vehicle. Someone needs to push Detroit in the right direction and the consumer hasn't done it. I applaud this tax.

Why don't you go after the real polluters in this state, big corporations and the wealthy? When I hear about some rich bast*rd living in a 35,000 square foot house using the electricity of 20 normal houses, with a garage full of gas guzzling high performance cars and a 5 gal per mile yacht on lake Washington and then you want to tax me for driving my diesel truck back and forth to work? What are you retarded? Collect the tax from those that burn the fuel. A previous poster mentioned expanding the gas tax, great idea. That makes people conserve and people using more gas PAY!!! Raise the taxes on the rich Republican bast*rds, till they bleed. Luxury taxes, higher taxes on mega homes, yachts and high end cars. Maybe implementing a graduated scale state income tax and drop all these licenses, fees and sales tax BS? Get it through your thick skull, WE DON'T WANT HIGH CAR TABS. Got it? Start making the wealthy in this state pay their fair share. Quit taxing us middle class working people you little toady to the wealthy.

While I myself commute with a car that has only a 1.8 Liter engine to save fuel, the large engines in excursions, escalades etc, burn very clean. They do however use alot of fuel. I don't know how many times I have seen an old VW bus with the standard issue environmental slogan stickers plastered all over and this thing is spewing smoke and raw fuel out the tailpipe. An excursion is more environmental friendly than these.

This will hurt the "working poor" the most. The majority of low income people drive older cars that have larger engines in them. This will be yet another blow to these people just trying to drive to their jobs. Very soon driving will be just for the rich. Once again the state is attempting to raise revenue in the name of "saving the environment" knowing full well that the sheeple will lap it up...

What do you senators and legislators don't see. The citizens of this state are taxed out. Gas taxes, high property taxes and now this attempt to bring back high car tabs when we clearly voted for 30 dollar car tabs. This will only hurt the working class citizen and it is wrong. Global warming is a farce and you know it!!! Just like the global freezing in the 70's was a farce and time has proven that. Al Gore would not have a job if it weren't for the global warming farce. After all it was all started by the United Nations which is not a credible or affective agency. Get a grip and start doing your jobs and quit trying to think up ways and pass laws to hurt the citizens who pay your wages. Don't forget that. We are sick of this whole mess in this state. Gregoire needs to go and most of you with her.

Once again WA state is putting a new tax on their incompentence. Since the existing gas tax and the many other vehicle fees never actually go to road improvement, and actually go to social programs, they now need a new way of raising revenue. Another example of Seattle Thinking and acting like San Francisco. Pass laws that make them "feel like they are making a difference" but in actuality, it harms the middle class to low income people the most.

I am 40 years old. When I was in school we were being indoctronated that we were going to face an ice age and global cooling. Now some 25 years later we are all going to burn up and scorch. I suspect that the global cooling threat was not generating enough revenue so they switched to the global warming blather. Seems people open their wallets further with heat rather than cold.

Al gore comes to mind!!

You need to check your facts pal, you blame the "rich republicans" for this when it is all Guess what, DEMOCRATS that are doing this (Tom, Kohl-welles, pridemore, keiser & Kline) Don't forget, the DEMOCRATS have the majority in this state. So every stupid bill that comes along like this one, blame your own people. Maby you should stop listining to your union leaders and think for yourself and see who is really for the middle class!

Fianally a tax that makes sense! But you need to roll back those RV Mobile Homes. Those people need to pay worse than our gas hog commuters. Hopefully it will drive people to use the public transportation. The more riders, the more busses and the more frequently served a route will become. Kudos to the bill sponsors

The voters of this state have overwhelmingly chosen a Democrat, one party type government. Why get upset when they propose ideas they campaigned on? This is what you voted for! Pay the carbon tax and shut up! This bill is only the tip of the iceberg, prepare yourself!

It is true that money helps shape conservation behaviors. However, there are ways of doing this that don't financially oppress the common people. Monetary incentives and rebates have always worked to change behavior and challenge people to be ecologically responsiblity. In the case of this new penalty bill, it is another example of how our state legislature wants to suck the financial life blood out of its citizens. Let's just sock it to the retired folks who want to travel in their RV requiring a large displacement engine. Here are other examples of this evil agenda. 1. blocking property tax relief for the state. Hey, my property tax has more than doubled in the past 5 years. I thought that property taxes were based upon budgets and not property value....hmm... does that mean the budgets have doubled in the past 5 years? I wish my boss would double my salary every 5 years. Folks this is not sustainable. The company I work for walks the talk about increased productivity. I think the same principals can apply to our local governments. Productivity (dollar cost to provide government service a state citizen)can increase through technology and economies of scale. Thus, as population and density increases and technology improves, the state should be able to provide an increase level of service for the same or less dollar amount. My company does this each year and returnes the value to the stock-holders. Why can't the State do the same? Why do we have to have repressive tax increases? 2. House Bill 2601 - The state Legislature is trying to make it tougher to get initiatives and referendums up and running. So the State legislature is attempting to impede initiatives and referendums that are a critical voice of our citizens. Basically, the state is blocking and impedite vehicles that voice the will of the people. Sounds very un-democratic to me. Even Komo 4 Ken Schram agrees with Eyman on this one. (See Komo 4 news web site for his commentary)

Oh great, after having a huge property tax increase the last couple of years, let's add this tax on to all the retired seniors on fixed incomes. Yeah, that make a lot of sense to me ! We already have to save all year to pay the property taxes ! What will you liberals dream up next ? Please keep your hands of our money !

Oh great, after having a huge property tax increase the last couple of years, let's add this tax on to all the retired seniors on fixed incomes. Yeah, that make a lot of sense to me ! We already have to save all year to pay the property taxes ! What will you liberals dream up next ? Please keep your hands of our money !

This legislation has more to do with finding money for the state budget than it does regarding saving the environment. Hey, let's find a way to get the money by marketing as a environmentally friendly bill that can tug at the heart strings of the green citizens. Here is a script of some green citizens thinking. Awe...but we have to do this bill for the good of mother earth. Those evil SUV drivers. Bad bad bad..shame..shame..shame.......... In reality, engine displacement has less to do with carbon output than driving habits and engine loads. This bill is a wolf in sheeps clothing and really has more to do with wanting more money. (Greed). During the past years , the state was having windfall tax revenues. This was most likely do to the real-esate market was hot and sales taxes were booming. So.. instead of saving for a rainy day and sound fiscal planning, there are increases of lavish budgets and spending increases abound. Now, that the economy has cooled a bit, realestate is cooled down, the state revenue is slowing down. Now, Olympia is in panick mode. Oh no! Now we cannot fund our new state budgets and all of the great great things we were planning to do with the monies. Ohh...we have to increase taxes. Hey, (snicker-grin) let's play the environment card. It has always worked in the past. Those Puget Sound communities are softies when it comes to a green sob story. We are pretty slick, we can get the money, we are masters of the Universe.........nothing can stop us...... Of course, it is our moral imperitive to do this and we really do have your best interest in mind (since you cannot think for yourselves).....

Just another attack on small business in Washington state, I dont know how much longer I can hold out. Bill

Why do I feel this is a battle that goes back to when tab fees were reduced and fixed? Remember for I think 1 (ONE) year they were $35.00 flat rate...then all of the fees. I was still OK with that-as then I could afford to buy a NEWER vehicle-no doubt BETTER for the environment overall! It seems that that made the state govt very angry=how DARE you people make a decision that we have to carry out! Its been a sore spot ever since! All this does to people such as myself-is drives us back into older cheaper cars since we cant afford to make these outlandish payments! COME ON PEOPLE!!! IF this even comes close to passing-I will lose complete faith in us! There are at least 100 good points made on this page!!! This has GOT to be the most rediculous bill EVER! If there is any links to organized protesting of this nazi bill-please POST THEM so that we can all ram it right back down there throats where it belongs! SICK OF THIS CRAP!!!!

It is getting to be impossible to afford life in Washington. I am struggling daily. I drive a smaller car but will be buried just a little more by an increase of $225.00? I live with a family of four to feed on a $60.00 budget a week... and now I have one more expense; and not a small one to account for once a year?? I hope this doesn't make it... for myself and all the others that will be struggling that much more.

This is just another tax and spend bill. Why not cut the fat from some of the other ridiculous 'tax the working class' bills, like welfare for instance, and apply the funds to transportation if it is needed so badly? That's just it - efficiency is not the goal here. Bondage is.

Fine, let's tax the displacement of peoples homes, the bigger the house, the bigger the tax, vaulted ceilings? WOO HOO even more tax! Land taxes? More sq feet of land, the more the tax! Why not have an income tax? The leftists in this state know more than anyone, let's say anyone who makes more than $100k should have a 100% tax on every dollar above $100K? Since liberals burn more time passing hot air in school, the more degrees you have, the higher the tax! It's only fair, they sucked up state paid for benefits by becoming professional students to think up this kind of rot gut? I remember reading that we've had several cooling and warming periods over the last several million years, but these Poindexter's think they know everything about everthing. The new Green movement is just good old fashioned watermelon politics, shiny green exterior, commie pink to the core.

ROSSI, ROSSI.

Ok Folks! My $.02 We Need Dino Rossi! Her majesty the Gargoyle and her leftist cronies need to go!!! Please Dino, help us stop this madness!

Where did you go to school? Don't lie. If you went to college, did you receive student aide or did your mom and dad pay for everything?

Conservatives getting pissed about the crazy libereal laws in Washington are like Satanists getting pissed about all the crazy Mormons in Utah. We should maybe consider moving to Texas.

This is the most stupid thing that could ever be held as a tax. Like some other guy said before, Why not just tax us for every single thing we do these days. oops gotta use the toilet. TAX!!!!! This guy who thought of this idea needs to be punched in the face and then kicked in the junk, then ran over by a semi. What an idiot!!!!!

THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATURE IS INSANE! IN THE COMMUNISTIC STATE OF WASHINGTON WE HAVE THE HIGHEST GAS TAX, SIN TAX & DAIRY TAX IN THE NATION AND NOW THIS? WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING? THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY WE CITIZENS IN WASHINGTON CAN AFFORD THIS! OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU. FIND REVENUE ELSEWHERE LIKE YOUR PAYCHECKS FOR EXAMPLE.

No need to keep talking about this one. According to my two Representatives, the bill never made it out of committee and won't be part of this legislative session.

According to the Toyota website: Camry Hybrid, 2.4L, 33/34 MPG, $70/yr new tax. Corolla Non Hybrid, 1.8L, 27/35 MPG, $0 new tax. Opinion: Being penalized (taxed) for driving a more efficient vehicle. Remember, the Camry spews no hydrocarbons in electric mode. That's just a quick lunch time study. I'm sure I could find more glaring examples. Which I'm going to do by the way. I genrally vote Conservative, sometimes Liberal but try my best to keep the ignorant out of office regardless of their party affiliation. Some of them are listed on this bill.

You consider the "RV Mobile Homes" a more horrendous burden on fuel and the environment than commuters, right? If you do the math for how many hours those engines run and miles driven in a year, you might discover that their "share" of the situation you bemoan is microscopic. I daresay you and your like-minded citizens produce more CO2 through your vitriolic tirades than the RVs.

A former Yippie!, I traded my SUV for a new Toyota Prius 1.5L/500VDC 55 city, 45 hwy, 51 net mpg. I use a max of 15 gallons a month as opposed to 12 gallons a week. I buy gas, cigarettes, milk, and alcohol on the reservation, screwing Big Oil AND Big Government at the same time, and reducing my carbon footprint in the process. What I'm trying to say, I guess, is: The State of Washington will get an extra tax dollar from me when they pry it from my cold, dead hands.

Wow, what fun! Crammed in a bus or train like a bunch of lemming sardines! Now that's living!!!!

Well, there's one lone vote for SB6900. Since it is highly unlikely to pass, maybe he can just voluntarily donate his money to the greenie cause.

When will the representatives of the people start treating the money we earn like they are entitled to it. Noone minds paying their fair share but this tax is just a failure of their fiscal irresponsibility. It's time to say, this is your budget, make it work.

Good grief! Stop adding more and more fees to what we already pay. We got a 2.5% cost of living increase in our income and our actuall cost of living has gone up 8%. What gives!

Thank Goodness!!

Have you looked at the fee schedule? This is an excessive amount for licenses to be paid in addition to one of the highest gas taxes in the nation. Has anyone decided where this money would go? How much money is needed for the projects it is supposed to pay for? You can be sure that whatever amount is collected will be spent. It seems to me that the sponsors of this bill are entirely out of touch with reality, not realizing the negative effect it would have on the economy which has already seen almost everything increase in price due to high transporation costs.

I burn more gas driving my subcompact each year than I do driving my pickup. This isn't about "mitigating impact" or concern about the environment. This is about making up for the impact on state revenue created by I-695. I'm sure Mr. Eyman is drafting language to overturn this monstrosity as we speak. Language that WILL survive court challenges. This feels like last ditch efforts to push through far left agenda items while they still have a sympathetic governor. Perhaps the democrats aren't real confident about Aunt Christine's chances in November.

I agree with WTF...these guys need to be run over by a semi...that is if the owner of the truck can still afford to drive it! The majority of people who own vehicles that will be taxed on this own them for a purpose...such as my family who utilize several large pickup trucks for farm use, not like the dinkfaces on Capital Hill who own a ginormous Cadillac Escalade just for the hell of it to win the pissing match with the other rich bastards. How can we afford to pay an EXTRA $1000 per vehicle per year? I hate to tell ya, but just because meat costs so much in the store doesn't mean us farmers are seeing a fraction of that!

Instead of another vehicle engine tax or gas tax why don’t we tax the illegal worker’s incomes? Then we won’t have to pay for the very expensive new drivers license to subside the illegal. That would fix two birds with one bill. In the past 10 years outside of sports what occupation has the largest increase in millionaires? Could it be our elected officials? Maybe not but bills like this make us wonder where their loyalties are. I have a small car (two seater, small engine) and would be taxed higher according to this bill.

No more taxes of anykind. We are being taxed to death!! Our forefathers left Europe and came here to get away from unfair, high taxes. Didn't do them much good did it?