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New London, Wisconsin | Wisconsin decided to tax the electric cars severely enough to make up for fuel tax revenues it would not be receiving. It's done both at time of purchase and annual registration. In a chance encounter with this subject, I was invited to a meeting by WI DOT in Green Bay a few years back. I was to speak as a town chair about our town road funding issues, and what we had done that was so unique. This electric car issue was brought up later by DOT at the same meeting. Even though there was little support by those in attendance to financially penalize the electric car market, the DOT had really already decided to do this and was just sending up a trial balloon to see if the idea would sell. It didn't, because it hit the electric cars far harder than gasoline cars to make up the total difference. Those same folks from DOT had the numbers available to balance our State road budget deficit by either raising the fuel tax, or registration fees, or both. It was quite clear both needed to go up to keep from have good roads turn bad, but they didn't have enough political support to do it. An extra 50 or so dollars per vehicle in registration and (from memory ) about another dime in gas tax would have put the state on better financial footing. They punted instead, per usual.
It was quite ironic that the reason I was asked to speak was because we gave our residents a choice about raising their own tax to improve our roads. They did vote to do it, and our roads are slowly getting better because of it. Proof that people will pay a tax if they understand the benefit, and trust the leadership. I am one of those in local politics that really doesn't care if I get voted out. It's a crappy job, and if someone truly better wants it, I'd vote for them myself. The good part of having that attitude is I don't need to sugar coat anything, and the public has truly come to respect the honesty.
Because of my position I do get a pretty good view of local state and county spending. Most of it makes sense, and like everything else there are some occasional red herrings.
Some in Madison, our State capitol, still would rather have toll booths to increase revenue as an alternative to fuel and vehicle fees. I think it's silly to add infrastructure, cost and the inconvenience to receive the minimal amount of tax. Such are the ideas floated around in Madison, and the reason many of us call it 50 square miles surrounded by reality.
Jim
Edited by 150pilot 5/28/2021 18:09
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Electric vehicles and road tax
