Did you hear the news? The fossil fuel era is over. The United States and 195 other countries recently met in Paris and pinkie-swore to definitely, probably, maybe start to address the problem of climate change … pretty soon.
In the coming decades, we’re supposed to phase out the oil that powers most of our vehicles. Many have gotten a head start in recent years by buying hybrid or electric cars, driving fewer miles and trying not to burn so much gasoline.
All of which begs the question, why do you have to be so selfish?
Federal and state governments rely on gas tax money. When you stop buying gas, you make the Tax Man sad. If we get rid of gas entirely, he’ll be very sad indeed.
In our latest poll at HeraldNet.com, we asked how you’d eventually replace the gas tax. The most popular realistic option, with 16 percent of the vote, was to tax those who ride ferries and other public transit. There is a zero percent chance any of those voters actually ride transit.
The other options would hit drivers’ own wallets, which may be why they’re less popular. Charging drivers by the mile got 11 percent of the vote, a carbon-emissions tax garnered 9 percent, and higher vehicle-excise taxes just 7 percent. Bringing up the rear? Tolling, of course, with just 5 percent. It seems people would rather carpool with Charles Manson than pay tolls.
But the big winner, with 53 percent of the vote, was to do nothing and keep the gas tax. Clever readers may note that keeping the gas tax is NOT a way to replace it, but why let reality ruin a good thing?
It’s a lot nicer in Fantasyland. The oil keeps flowing, the climate never changes, and everyone drives a Hummer.
— Doug Parry, @parryracer
Next, we’d like to know your opinion on the light-rail options being considered for the next stage of Sound Transit.
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