Push for a Carbon Tax

Some car travel is a necessity, some optional. I’ve heard and read lots of stories about people adjusting their driving and car-buying in response to fuel prices.

I pay for sewer as a function of water use. Xeriscaping and saving shower water to flush with cut down on both.

Good idea but check your state’s laws. In my state, grey water and black water are not differentiated, and collecting grey water to use for any purpose is illegal. Which is really dumb.

At any rate, yes, some car travel is optional, but most is not. Sure, I might drive a few hundred miles a year on vacations but the vast majority of my windshield time is spent going to and from work, or less-so the store (and most of my store trips are necessities too).

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People with limited income their optional travel is very limited.

For me - well over 95% of my traveling is to and from work and going to Grocery store.

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So I need to repeat myself, again,

Seems that California, the home of the highest gas prices in the country, doesn’t follow that principle;

Truck sales across the board are up in California despite the increase in the gas tax.

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If Your country really wants it, you’ll soon need more than all the coal workers to fill the jobs within the sector of producing green energi and green products. Here employment within that sector is growing - fast, infact we have to look abroad to find qualified employees. So, yes - it’s a win-win. In DK around 4% of the workforce is working in that sector, expecting to exceed 8% in the short future. I just wish that I could afford that Tesla Model S with that let’s have some fun button.

Indeed. And it should probably be noted that last year, the Kentucky Coal Museum installed solar panels on its roof to become energy-independent. :wink:

Barring winning the lottery or discovering a recently-deceased rich uncle I didn’t know about, I’ll probably never be able to afford a new one… But you can get a used one for as little as $40,000, and I’m thinking the next time I need a car, it’s gonna be one of those unless something better comes along. When you consider how much you spend on gas every year, a $40,000 car that eliminates the bill at the pump is a fairly compelling economic investment considering I’d spend at least 30 to replace the car if I got a normal one.

California has a very good per capita income. A great number of people are far above the average income in CA then almost every other state. In other words - they can afford it.

Did You really have to make me cry? Here, that 40k used Tesla will probably turn into close to 400k before all is said and done with the danish tax system. Other than that, You have a point many should think about.

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If you want to drop down a little - you can get a new Model 3 for $35k

True, but I can’t even get a danish price on it. They estimate it will be around 1.100.000 dkr. = around 170.000 Usd. I’ll have to eat a heck of a lot of oatmeals to be able to afford that. :smirk:

What is a truck? Is a Kia Sportage a truck? California streets are likely filling up with crossovers and not F-150s and Ram diesels

On the other hand, if you get sick, you won’t go bankrupt, which many if not most of us cannot say. :wink:

You still have to wait for the $35k ones. In addition to there being a 4-12 month wait for ordering a Model 3 today, they’re not even producing the standard-battery ones yet, which means if you order one today you’re going to have to pay more. Often in the $50,000 range, at which point to me, anyway, a $40,000 Model S with < 40k miles on it makes more sense.

I agree, and I like the way it is here, even though I pay an average of 42% in income tax on low income. It helps those in need.

Absolutely :smiley:

While here in the USA there seems to a poor attitude by people who can’t imagine they might possibly be one of those in need some day.

Back to cars - does Denmark have high tariffs on vehicles imported from all countries or just some?

Todays offer at the car dealer: Buy 3 - get 1. Say, a car cost 10.000 from factory, then the system taxes the amount from 2k. to 5k with 75% = 2250. The amount over 5k is taxed with 150% = 7500. In total: 10k + 2250 + 7500 equals 19750 + an incremental punishment for fuell economy lower than 16 km/l combined (37,8 mpg). It doesn’t matter where the car comes from. SO FAR.
It is not the exact amount figures, but only gives a picture of how it works. Actually, the 150% was untill last year 186%. They lowered it so the people with a lot of money could buy bigger cars, Good for them I guess, but it certainly didn’t help the lower bracket.

Not saying they can’t afford it. Just pointing out that the normal concepts of price sensitivity don’t readily apply. Very clearly raising the price did not encourage Californians to buy fuel efficient sedans. Instead they bought increasing numbers of trucks and SUV’s

The carbon tax plan is faulty on most every count. It will not achieve the results its supporters desire.

Sure they do. Poorer states (Mississippi, Alabama…)…more people living at the poverty level. Gas prices go up - it effects their lives a lot more then it does middle class.

Obviously making blanket statements saying it applies to everyone is wrong. But to say that gas prices going up won’t effect people’s driving habits is also wrong.

the first people effected will always be lower income.

A problem with the carbon tax is that remedies are very expensive. I bought a new Accord and get about 35 mpg, mostly commuting. My old Accord got about 10 mpg less. I drive about 20,000 miles each year, and that is 800 gallons in the old Accord and 571 gallons in the new one. I save a whopping $87 in taxes by buying a new car. Why would anyone pay $26,000 net after trade to buy a car with that small savings? Even the gas savings at $3/gallon is only $687 per year. There is no monetary justification to replace an existing gas hog with a new, fuel efficient vehicle.

For an electric, you still pay the carbon tax on your electricity used to charge it. Let’s say the carbon fuel used to charge your EV is one-third of the 800 gallons my old car used. The savings would be $200 per year, still an insignificant amount.

You can’t keep them for ever (I know I keep trying). Eventually you have to buy a new(er) one.

Of course, but there is little incentive with this tax to buy a new car early.