The Herald’s recent story on highway congestion is not news (“Cars clogging highways more, data shows; local lawmakers eye solutions,” The Herald, Sept. 24).
Everybody knows there are more cars on the road using the infrastructure. Gasoline-powered vehicles exempt from state taxes also use the same infrastructure and so, do not support the maintenance of the state highways.
Electric vehicles pay an annual surcharge o offset loss of gasoline taxes.
However, that militates against the efficiency and carbon reduction plans of the state and in many instances, penalizes low-mileage drivers.
The exempt vehicles owned by the state, the counties, the municipalities, school districts, fire departments and other special fuel use tax exemptions are defined by state law. These include some non-profit organizations and merchants purchasing goods for resale, transit systems, as well as off-highway vehicles and ATVs that do not pay their fair share, such as park systems, federal, state, and county.
Special fuels include diesel, boats or farm machinery or construction equipment (a very broad set category) as well as ferries, and passenger-only ferries, Even aircraft fuel. Out of state vehicles are exempt as well. The actual cost of supporting the state highway infrastructure falls on the personal private non-exempt automobile owner. The state needs to take the burden off of our people by sharing the the costs between all fuel users. That would be fair. Anything less is stealing from a special group to benefit the rest. Stop the legislators; solutions by eyeballing those who do not pay their fair share.
Sam Bess
Stanwood
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