--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Appal Energy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > As for tax allocation, it sounds as if you're more in favor of a > user pays system, as you don't want transportation taxes > allocated to transportation sectors other than where they are > collected. Even when using such a schedule, a tractor-trailer is > going to put different burdens on infrastructure than a Yugo, > Cressida or Caprice. But the retort the public will always hear > is that "truckers are the backbone of America" and therefore > should be given a pass - even under a user pays system?
I never intended to give the impression that I thought truckers should be given a free pass. I DO think that at least a majority of what they pay should be used for highways. > > Funny...People who don't smoke pay taxes which buy life support > for enfasymics and canceritics. People who don't mainline pay > dearly for international and domestic drug control policies. > People who don't have children pay through the nose for schools, > teachers and administrators through elevated property taxes. And I disagree with most of this too. Parents that are concerned about their children's education are already paying twice. Once through property taxes to support Public Indoctrination centers, and once more for actual education in private or home schools. > > Frankly, I can hardly wait until the day when the true cost of > petroleum production is allocated strictly against the cost of a > gallon of petrol, as is largely done in Europe, rather than > through hidden taxation as is done here. No doubt transportation > industries will really cry foul then, having a strong go at > stirring up the public sentiment, using the traditional > "increased cost of goods" argument to rally support. And when > they succeed, as is often the case, those of us who consume > little fuel will continue to heavily subsidize the tax base for > those who consume considerably more. Once again, we are in agreement. It's a 'Rob Peter to pay Paul' concept. Those who don't use much fuel subsidize somewhat those who do use a lot, and those who do use a lot are taxed very heavily for uses not at all related to fuel useage. > > So, Motie... I'm sorry. But you won't be seeing me joining you on > a soapbox until you can get a little more specific and until > those specifics begin to outweigh all the other injustices that > are getting painted over and ignored by broad brush strokes. I think we are on the same soapbox already. I only pointed out a couple of the many details that don't seem to be sensible. > > And you probably won't be seeing many tears in my eyes over > snowmobilers having their trails re-appropriated. Seven winters > in Alaska doesn't give me any great respect for the vast majority > of snow mobilers, any more than annual retreats to wilderness > areas give me a drop of respect for off road bycyclists who run > trekkers off the trails. Try taxing snowmobile fuel and raising registration fees to put in snowmobile trails, then pave them for bicycle use, and then ban snowmobiles from using them. Or institute a 10% tax on all fishing gear to build a nice access to a popular lake, then ban fishing on it. See if that won't raise a protest by fishermen. > > Besides, if you're talking equity or parity, the horse and buggy > industry had the same thing happen to all the trails they > originally broke. Now they have the luxury of 3,000 - 45,000 > pound "sleds" come crashing through their back seats every time > they venture out on the very roads their "industry" once cleared. I'm not sure this is an accurate analogy, as long as the horses are still allowed to use the trails. When horses are banned from them because they create a hazard, after being charged exorbitant tax rates to build the trails, you'll be closer. (sarcasm) Perhaps Sports Stadiums should be forced to raise ticket prices by $10 each for a couple of seasons to raise funds to build a new Stadium, then when the new stadium is built, and the old one torn down, it will only be for exclusive use of a Radio-controlled airplane club, who will be allowed free access. Maintanance costs for the Stadium would be paid for by an increased sales tax on all football and baseball gear. If football fans want to see a football game, they'll have to rent space in a local Kmart parking lot, or go out of state. > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
