Texas bill that introduces $200 fee on EVs to fund roads just passed

[Silverado12]

If I had an E-car I would be totally for the tax. Beats having to pay tolls everywhere we go and that's the price for decent roads; everybody pays their share.

 

[LDB]

With tolls you only pay if you use that road. With a fee you pay regardless and for some you pay exponentially more than you are using. I have the EZ pass and for the several times per year I use that road I pay several dollars, maybe as much as $20 annually. If they were to go to one of these "fee taxes" like the $200 EV tax discussed it would likely also be $200 and I'd pay 10 times as much as I should. Same as if I had an EV and paid their fee rather than the fuel tax at the pump which for my ~300 miles per month costs me about $2.50 a month. So why should I pay $200 a year for an EV when I pay about $30 a year in gasoline tax? The only... only fair and legitimate way to do it is a per mile assessment based on actual miles driven.

 

[JeffKeryk]

With tolls you only pay if you use that road. With a fee you pay regardless and for some you pay exponentially more than you are using. I have the EZ pass and for the several times per year I use that road I pay several dollars, maybe as much as $20 annually. If they were to go to one of these "fee taxes" like the $200 EV tax discussed it would likely also be $200 and I'd pay 10 times as much as I should. Same as if I had an EV and paid their fee rather than the fuel tax at the pump which for my ~300 miles per month costs me about $2.50 a month. So why should I pay $200 a year for an EV when I pay about $30 a year in gasoline tax? The only... only fair and legitimate way to do it is a per mile assessment based on actual miles driven.

Agreed. But there is no fair.

 

[ProbeGT]

This bill has now been signed by the governor and has become law. I generally agree with the legislation although I do think the fee is too high and should only be roughly half of what it is.

I scanned a few of the latest replies, seeing a lot of disinformation and some outright nonsense.

Texas only gets about 10% of road funding from fees, most comes from federal kickbacks and general funds, not road taxes.

This is absolutely false. Maybe in your grand state of Wisconsin it is that way but here in Texas the gas tax alone contributes about 23% to the State Highway Fund, as per the Comptroller's office. Federal funds contribute about 47%. Car registration fees make up 13%.

To say EVs don’t pay taxes is disingenuous, fair share is bs as long as taxis, concrete, sand haulers, farm damage pay nothing and semis get to write off fuel tax.

This is mostly false. All cars contribute to the Highway find through registrations but EV's currently don't pay any gas tax and therefore do not contribute to the Highway Fund nearly as much as traditional cars. This is not sustainable in the long term.

I always thought Texas was anti tax but apparently anyone who supports a law such as this must be far more liberal than I am.

No state is "anti-tax," every state needs some revenue to operate. That said, as someone who has previously lived in NY state, let me assure you that Texas is absolutely a low-tax state. I pay no income tax, my property tax is lower, sales tax is on par and energies (incl gasoline) are far cheaper here.

And the roads will still be in awful condition

Do you live here? I do. A significant percentage of roads is well maintained. Much better than in the Northeast where I used to live. This funding will replace lost gas tax revenue and at least help keep it from getting worse.

 

[mrbreezeet1]

This bill has now been signed by the governor and has become law. I generally agree with the legislation although I do think the fee is too high and should only be roughly half of what it is.

I scanned a few of the latest replies, seeing a lot of disinformation and some outright nonsense.

This is absolutely false. Maybe in your grand state of Wisconsin it is that way but here in Texas the gas tax alone contributes about 23% to the State Highway Fund, as per the Comptroller's office. Federal funds contribute about 47%. Car registration fees make up 13%.

This is mostly false. All cars contribute to the Highway find through registrations but EV's currently don't pay any gas tax and therefore do not contribute to the Highway Fund nearly as much as traditional cars. This is not sustainable in the long term.

No state is "anti-tax," every state needs some revenue to operate. That said, as someone who has previously lived in NY state, let me assure you that Texas is absolutely a low-tax state. I pay no income tax, my property tax is lower, sales tax is on par and energies (incl gasoline) are far cheaper here.

Do you live here? I do. A significant percentage of roads is well maintained. Much better than in the Northeast where I used to live. This funding will replace lost gas tax revenue and at least help keep it from getting worse.

No, my Bad, I'm basing it on where l live.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

If I had an E-car I would be totally for the tax. Beats having to pay tolls everywhere we go and that's the price for decent roads; everybody pays their share.

Ya but you're paying more than your share and toll roads are rare in Texas,

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

This bill has now been signed by the governor and has become law. I generally agree with the legislation although I do think the fee is too high and should only be roughly half of what it is.

I scanned a few of the latest replies, seeing a lot of disinformation and some outright nonsense.

This is absolutely false. Maybe in your grand state of Wisconsin it is that way but here in Texas the gas tax alone contributes about 23% to the State Highway Fund, as per the Comptroller's office. Federal funds contribute about 47%. Car registration fees make up 13%.

This is mostly false. All cars contribute to the Highway find through registrations but EV's currently don't pay any gas tax and therefore do not contribute to the Highway Fund nearly as much as traditional cars. This is not sustainable in the long term.

No state is "anti-tax," every state needs some revenue to operate. That said, as someone who has previously lived in NY state, let me assure you that Texas is absolutely a low-tax state. I pay no income tax, my property tax is lower, sales tax is on par and energies (incl gasoline) are far cheaper here.

Do you live here? I do. A significant percentage of roads is well maintained. Much better than in the Northeast where I used to live. This funding will replace lost gas tax revenue and at least help keep it from getting worse.

Texas could've been smart and levied the tax based on weight of the the vehicle rather than EV vs Non-EV. Unfortunately that would've probably angered their anti-EV constituents.

 

[Astro14]

OK. The political commentary is getting annoying. Lock time.