EV property tax

[dbsb3233]

Does KY do annual state inspections? That's how it's typically recorded already in other states - not for this purpose, really, but just for record of the inspection (in NY they typically write the mileage on the back of the inspection sticker on your windshield.).

In CO, we stopped doing annual safety inspections in the 1980s. But emissions inspections are done every 2 years. Some vehicles are exempt, of course, like EVs. So lots of holes.

Personally, I'd be fine if they stop trying to reinvent the wheel of the gas tax. That worked well as a usage index, but it just doesn't translate to EVs. At this point I'd rather just switch to the general fund for roads. There are few things in our society that are as universally beneficial to 100% of the population as roads are, even if you aren't the driver. Deliveries, construction, utilities, maintenance, buses, taxis, emergency response, groceries, Amazon, etc etc etc all need and use roads. Give up on trying to track usage, which is gonna cost a lot more to administer, and have more holes than Swiss cheese.

We have many things using the general fund that are far less universally beneficial than roads. It's a prime candidate for general fund.

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[SonicBlue]

Bullfeathers! It’s just a political accounting gimmick to say that “road use taxes” pay for roads. It is a proper function of government to build and maintain roads. Where the dollars come from is irrelevant. If “road use “ taxes are down in a given year does that mean bridges are not to be maintained? Why does only money specifically earmarked for roads be the only source for funding? Dollars out of my pocket for taxes cost just the same to me whether I pay it out in gasoline taxes or sales tax on diamond studded steering wheels.

Money is fungible. Money can be moved. But the tax is still assessed to help raise funds for road maintenance. Why do you think your ICE neighbors should pay that tax, but not you? Stop behaving like an entitled brat. It’s one of the insufferable things about some EV owners.

 

[Scooby24]

We are not exempt from contributing to the road use taxes that are attached to other fuel sources.

I now believe we should not receive any subsidies regarding the purchase or use of our vehicles because we should apply the same to the use of gasoline. Those subsidies should also be removed so we all understand the true cost of the different fuel sources. I have read gasoline would jump to 15/gallon without those subsidies. I would love to hear the arguments against EVs at that point.

 

[milepost1]

In CO, we stopped doing annual safety inspections in the 1980s. But emissions inspections are done every 2 years. Some vehicles are exempt, of course, like EVs. So lots of holes.

Personally, I'd be fine if they stop trying to reinvent the wheel of the gas tax. That worked well as a usage index, but it just doesn't translate to EVs. At this point I'd rather just switch to the general fund for roads. There are few things in our society that are as universally beneficial to 100% of the population as roads are, even if you aren't the driver. Deliveries, construction, utilities, maintenance, buses, taxis, emergency response, groceries, Amazon, etc etc etc all need and use roads. Give up on trying to track usage, which is gonna cost a lot more to administer, and have more holes than Swiss cheese.

We have many things using the general fund that are far less universally beneficial than roads. It's a prime candidate for general fund.

You trust a politician to take money from general fund and adequately maintain roads? They would spend on something else and then scream they need more money.

 

[dtbaker61]

I just received property tax bills for my two cars. Both of them are nearly equal in value but only one of them is a Ford MME. That one carries an additional “electric vehicle tax” of $214.86 I’ve read that this compensates the State for lost gasoline taxes.

that's exactly what it is....

States are struggling with strategies to collect revenue needed to build and maintain roads. unless/until they can implement a use tax mased on weight and actual miles, this is the easiest way to recover 'lost' revenue from gas tax collection at the pump.

I think it is 'fair', but I am hoping for 'more fair' based on weight and actual miles to provide incentive for the market to move to smaller, lighter vehicles and drive fewer miles.... incentivized by lowering cost of registration and insurance.

 

[david_quick]

I just received property tax bills for my two cars. Both of them are nearly equal in value but only one of them is a Ford MME. That one carries an additional “electric vehicle tax” of $214.86 I’ve read that this compensates the State for lost gasoline taxes. But in effect it is an attempt by the State of North Carolina to punish anyone trying to lower environmental pollution, by buying an EV. Shouldn’t we be incentivizing voluntary attempts by private citizens to curtail atmospheric poisoning. What’s next? Pay people who pollute and punish those who try to better the AQI? Maybe their slogan will be “give a hoot! Pollute” or perhaps, ”Want clean air? Move to Mars!”

As all have stated the extra fee is to make up for lost gas tax. My question is why the heck is the state charging property tax on cars? I have lived in 5 different states and none of them did this. Is this in s common?

 

[dtbaker61]

Bullfeathers! It’s just a political accounting gimmick to say that “road use taxes” pay for roads. It is a proper function of government to build and maintain roads. Where the dollars come from is irrelevant.

huh ?
are you serious?

where the dollars come from is absolutely relevant. The most 'fair' way to pay for the roads you use, would be based on the weight of your vehicle and the miles of road you 'used'. How can you disagree with that?

 

[ryano7700]

No.

Does KY do annual state inspections? That's how it's typically recorded already in other states - not for this purpose, really, but just for record of the inspection (in NY they typically write the mileage on the back of the inspection sticker on your windshield.).

No, Kentucky doesn't do inspections, so I didn't think of that. That would be a perfect time to record mileage and would not require tracking.
I will say those in favor of tracking mileage say the state gasoline tax could be paid in the state it was driven if they had GPS mileage.

 

[ADDZ71]

As all have stated the extra fee is to make up for lost gas tax. My question is why the heck is the state charging property tax on cars? I have lived in 5 different states and none of them did this. Is this in s common?

I think it really is a case of tax you upfront or over a longer period. In South Carolina where I previously lived sales taxes were capped at $600 but you paid a yearly property tax on the value of the vehicle and it drops to a maximum of $25 at year 15. In North Carolina the annual tax is a little lower but the sales tax is a little higher.

 

[dtbaker61]

As all have stated the extra fee is to make up for lost gas tax. My question is why the heck is the state charging property tax on cars? I have lived in 5 different states and none of them did this. Is this in s common?

in most states, there is a portion of your annual registration fee that is based on 'property value', but it is generally not itemized obviously when you pay your fee.

In the case of EVs, I suspect that adding 'EV use tax' to the 'property' tax is the simplest mechanism to collect revenue approximating what they would otherwise collect from gas/diesel sales.

 

[dbsb3233]

You trust a politician to take money from general fund and adequately maintain roads? They would spend on something else and then scream they need more money.

I don't trust them with the gas tax either. Or any other taxes or fees. It's all fungible. Even if we theoretically "force" them to spend gas taxes on roads, that's only part of the funding, and they just move the other sources elsewhere.

Ultimately it's up to the people to put pressure on them to maintain the road network. Also, they're addicted to the tax revenues that commerce produces. And roads are a huge part of enabling that. Roads are crucial infrastructure for virtually everything.

 

[bbulkow]

I just received property tax bills for my two cars. Both of them are nearly equal in value but only one of them is a Ford MME. That one carries an additional “electric vehicle tax” of $214.86 I’ve read that this compensates the State for lost gasoline taxes. But in effect it is an attempt by the State of North Carolina to punish anyone trying to lower environmental pollution, by buying an EV. Shouldn’t we be incentivizing voluntary attempts by private citizens to curtail atmospheric poisoning. What’s next? Pay people who pollute and punish those who try to better the AQI? Maybe their slogan will be “give a hoot! Pollute” or perhaps, ”Want clean air? Move to Mars!”

Yes, we should create incentives for not putting CO2 pollution into the atmosphere. Assessing the cost of this pollution to vehicles that throw off CO2 - and generating plants that generate electricity that throw off CO2 - would create the right incentives.

There is almost no real effort to create a "carbon tax" (eg, a pollution tax), just these back-door incentives which don't make a ton of sense (why is there a one-time tax rebate on a vehicle, given some will be powered by home solar, some by dirty grids, eg?).

As you live in NC, a true political battleground, I'm sure you appreciate the anti-EV sentiment among a broad section of the population, aligned on partisan boundaries. Taxing EVs and not giving them a "free ride" - when, in reality, we're subsidizing ICE because they're not paying the cost of their pollution. The kind of mental change required to realize what one generation grew up with is now known to be wrong --- it's a heavy lift.

 

[zvez]

No.

No, Kentucky doesn't do inspections, so I didn't think of that. That would be a perfect time to record mileage and would not require tracking.
I will say those in favor of tracking mileage say the state gasoline tax could be paid in the state it was driven if they had GPS mileage.

yeah I think a lot of the "big brother is watching" would be opposed to that.

 

[Rt1AWD]

Maybe use the billions in subsidies that currently go to the oil and gas industry?? Just a thought. ?‍ ?‍

That's a violation of law

 

[VaporTrails]

We are not exempt from contributing to the road use taxes that are attached to other fuel sources.

I now believe we should not receive any subsidies regarding the purchase or use of our vehicles because we should apply the same to the use of gasoline. Those subsidies should also be removed so we all understand the true cost of the different fuel sources. I have read gasoline would jump to 15/gallon without those subsidies. I would love to hear the arguments against EVs at that point.

I am looking for reality on that data point. I haven’t found a source yet that grinds all the subsidy axes equally. May not be possible due to some of the logical arguments involved. I’m looking for peer-reviewed, not sensational garbage. I have lots of good EV arguments, but this is not one of them.

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