Porsche vs. the enviro's - coming here?

[Komenda Fan]

Hope this hasn't been covered already, I did a search and didn't find it. Basically, the city of London wants to raise fees for "high emissions SUV's and sportscars" and this has led Porsche to take legal action against the city of London. Owners of Porsches and other high emissions vehicles would end up shelling out £25 ($50!) per day to enter the city, and even those already residing in the city would be forced to cough up this amount.

http://www.motorauthority.com/cars/porsche/london-mayor-responds-to-porsche-legal-attack/

I personally don't hold much hope that I will always be entitled or able to drive my old beast on public roads due to future environmental legislation. Do you think this the future in North America too?

[WolfeMacleod]

Originally Posted by Komenda Fan

Do you think this the future in North America too?

Based on what my wife just told me about a new WA state bill they're trying to pass, I'd say yes.

I don't recall the specifics, but it was a yearly displacement-based licensing fee for cars.

Something I just dug up from another forum I just found...


here is a bill that the Washington State Legislature is trying to pass in Olympia that, if successful, will directly add huge costs to our vehicle license fees. The bill is SB 6900 and it adds an "engine displacement" fee to the vehicle license tabs upon renewal.

The fee has a varied amount depending on the size of the vehicle's engine:

Engine Size (liters) Rate Schedule:

Up to 1.9 $0
2.0 - 2.9 $70
3.0 - 3.9 $225
4.0 - 4.9 $275
5.0 - 5.9 $325
6.0 - 7.9 $400
8.0 or over $600

For each car & truck that you own, calculate the rate by matching the engine size in liters to the dollar amount. Add the amounts for each vehicle and you'll see that the average two car family will be paying $500+ every year in "displacement fees" on top of the normal license fees. If you have three vehicles, you'll be paying even more. The average family is already struggling with the high cost of gasoline, electricity, food and everything else, and our lawmakers want us to pay more, thinking we have unlimited deep pockets. Now is the time to be very vocal against this bill.

Here's the web page for the bill where you can read the text:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6900&year=2008
http://www.washingtonvotes.org/2008-SB-6900

Here's the link for contacting your representatives:

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx

[KNS]

Let them try that in Los Angeles, there are thousands of Porsches in LA! I imagine that someday in the future there will be much stricter environmental "enforcements" all over the place.

[96740]

Just another example of how the environmental freaks are out of control. And they seem to just skate freely around with no one stepping up to clock them up-side-the-head.

[RWebb]

Europe & Japan already have displacement based taxes. I'd rather see it based on fuel mileage or something a bit more accurate.

BUT - if yo think about it for a moment, don't you believe that the "user fee" paid should be proportional to the usage of resources? or to the damage done to the road system (truck wts.)?

IT only makes sense - even tho we may be on the losing side (or in the middle really if you look at the schedule posed). Why should somebody in a Yaris or a Smart have to subsidize the BoHunkamobile and its 7 liter mtor?

[96740]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Europe & Japan already have displacement based taxes. I'd rather see it based on fuel mileage or something a bit more accurate.

BUT - if yo think about it for a moment, don't you believe that the "user fee" paid should be proportional to the usage of resources? or to the damage done to the road system (truck wts.)?

IT only makes sense - even tho we may be on the losing side (or in the middle really if you look at the schedule posed). Why should somebody in a Yaris or a Smart have to subsidize the BoHunkamobile and its 7 liter mtor?

If we had to be like this...+1