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Wisconsin Gov Walker to tax Hybrids

4K views 19 replies 10 participants last post by  retiredat444 
#1 ·
Sadly, the attack on Hybrids has begun in Wisconsin with a $50 annual fee for Hybrids in a new bill from Governor Scott Walker to pay for highways. The Highway builders in Wisconsin have always had a stranglehold on the Governors and now a hybrid tax and average $800/new car tax to pay for highways. There are diesels and other small ICE cars that get into the 40mpg range yet they are not being taxed, just hybrids and electrics. You can understand electric vehicles since the highways are paid for by gas taxes. Yet the Big Government is crying that hybrids are getting off easy by paying lower road taxes. Really? 5mpg better than the ICE Camry plus a premium for the hybrid drivetrain? This Big Government taxing behavior is likely to put a dent in hybrid sales in Wisconsin.

I'd be open to a class action law suit for such discriminatory taxing behavior. Any lawyers out there interested? Count me in.
 
#3 ·
I could see if this was for plugin hybrids and electrics, but for standard hybrids this is wrong. The state taxes are to pay for Highways, and hybrids generally get worse mileage on the highway than diesels, and not much better than some the high mileage gas cars. It's the city driving where they do better, and the local roads are generally not paid for by the state gas taxes.
 
#4 ·
It doesn't matter if a hybrid gets worse mileage than a diesel or whatever vehicle. What MATTERS is that a hybrid gets ALL ENERGY from a gasoline engine which is subject to tax. We need to make sure that is our argument. A hybrid is no different than a Nissan Versa that gets 38 mpg. The only difference is our car has a giant HYBRID sticker on the side. There is absolutely no difference in how the fuel mileage is obtained. I can't believe people who are supposed to represent voters are too dumb to figure out the basic differences.
 
#10 ·
I can see where they are coming from. Make up some of the fuel tax revenue lost from higher MPG vehicles. The problem is that I feel cars such as my Echo, capable of getting similar numbers, isn't included in the tax. Either way I'd vote the tax down, but the aforementioned is a technicality which can't be denied either.
 
#12 ·
It's past time to raise the overall gas tax rate. But the politicians are cowards. They'd rather stick it to a small segment of the population, who some consider to be pointy headed liberals who should be happy to pay their unfair share.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I agree that vehicles that escape the fuel tax should contribute. I also believe that highway spending funneling big dollars to special interests should be questioned. That said, singling out hybrids is just wrong. Hybrids use gas as do other ICE vehicles that get better mileage yet no fee (in WI). My sister's hybrid SUV gets a whole 2mpg better than the ICE version. I would be a proponent of using gas tax for gas vehicle and let mpg winners thrive. Fees for electrics, OK.
 
#15 ·
Well, let's tax the hell out of motorcycles and bicycles while we're at it. Why bother to research alternative fuels or promote conservation at all? Let's just hope we can keep pumping oil out of the earth for all eternity...
 
#16 ·
bought a new Hybrid here in Oregon, now the dirtbag gov jerkoffs want to add tax per mile, because too many people are buying hybrids and more efficient cars and the gov says is losing gas tax money.. the gov sucks, and the nitwits who vote that party in are the cause..
 
#17 · (Edited)
Good News in Wisconsin, Governor Walker is not going with the Highway Department proposed Hybrid Tax. I just traded my 2012 TCH XLE for a TAH Touring and really loving it. The TCH was an incredible car that I would recommend to anyone seeking reliability, quite ride, and outstanding power/economy combination with the hybrid drivetrain. It was my first Hybrid and impressed me to the point of moving to the Avalon (same drivetrain). I had ZERO defects on my Kentucky built 2012 TCH XLE and exceeded my expectations for reliability. My only reason for moving to the TAH was desiring a larger vehicle (6-2" and long legs) and the deals on 2014 TAHs at the end of this year were fantastic. So far mileage is right on par with my 2012 TCH which averaged over 42mpg over 2.5years Fuelly. That includes last winter's extended sub zero weather in SE WI.

Glad not to be penalized in Wisconsin for paying a premium for an efficient vehicle. I did write a letter opposing the WI transportation department proposed tax so hopefully that helped. I encourage all hybrid owners to get engaged when the taxers line up to increase cost of ownership for efficient Gas fueled vehicles.
 
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