Higher registration fee for hybrid and electric cars?
HB 1541, currently under consideration by the state Legislature, would apply a sliding registration fee to hybrid and electric vehicles. The bill is intended to make up for lost gas tax revenue from these vehicles. Read more about this issue.
“Do you support a proposal to charge hybrid and all-electric cars a higher registration fee to balance what they don't pay in gas taxes?”
Discussion held on Citizens Count NH website and Facebook page February 21, 2018
No: 154 citizens were opposed to charging hybrid and all-electric cars a higher registration fee.
- “They are doing right by going greener, we should not punish anyone for moving away from gasoline.”
- “No. We need less spending, not more taxing.”
- “No… there are a lot of smaller cars that get better gas mileage than some hybrids. Are we going to tax them at a higher rate too?”
Yes: 37 citizens were in favor of charging hybrid and all-electric cars a higher registration fee.
- “Yes. They still drive as many miles on/cause wear to the road, which is what the gas tax is supposed to pay for. Perhaps a discount as a 'thank you' for causing less pollution is a good idea, but their owners should still pay for some of the wear and tear on the roads.”
- “Yes... They still use the roads that the gas tax support.”
- “Yes… The gas tax is a pay-for-use fee to help develop and keep up with roads. Considering 1/3rd of the cars on the road by 2025 are going to be hybrid we need to have some way to cover the gap. If you use the roads you should pay for them.”
Other: 31 citizens addressed their comments to related questions and issues.
These included:
- Indecision: “I’m on the fence here. I own a hybrid and understand the reasoning behind it... on the other hand the last thing we want to do is lose incentive for people to switch.”
- Current spending: “Where is all that money going now?”
- Alternative policies: “I am in favor of cradle-to-grave environmental costs as the fair leveler. That way people can't disguise what they're doing. Electricity has to come from somewhere.”
*Editor selection of actual participant quotes.