I-695 is really a tax break for the rich. Think about it, whose cars are going to get the biggest break? A new Mercedes or Lexus or a '73 Chevy Truck that already has a low tax of maybe 40 or 50 bucks? The money that is currently generated by license fees will still be needed but will have to be made up elsewhere. I say keep on taxing the new cars and I keep driving my 10+ year old cars, maintaining them well and pay the lower license fees.

My .02 cents....

-- Dave Burns (burns1968@my-deja.com), September 02, 1999

Answers

Actually, MVET is a tax break for the rich.

Joe sixpack goes out and gets a new car (does happen)of pickup. Generates a $500 MVET. Pays $500. Takes the standard deduction, so he gets NOTHING off his income tax. Net is $500

Marcia Mercedes buys a new car or SUV. Generates a $500 MVET. Pays $500. Adds the MVET to her standard deductions. Since she's in the 35% bracket, the feds credit her with $175. Net is $325.

Lets see. Rich person pays $325, low income person pays $500. Oh yeah Dave, the MVET is a REAL good deal for the low income. People gripe about "flat tax" proposals as being "regressive". They are much more progressive than this turkey.

-- Gary Henriksen (henrik@harbornet.com), September 02, 1999.

My '72 Chevy pickup is $93 for Tabs. I look forward to $30.

You deliberately forgot to mention the other part of 695, you know, the part were we the people take back part of the control from government! but you are probably a liberal, government lover anyway.

-- hammer (hammerhead1@hotmail.com), September 02, 1999.

So we take back control of taxes.. cool.. now how do we go about getting rid of the state reps we are paying to do this job for us??

-- Moonhunter (moonhunter47@yahoo.com), September 02, 1999.

Dave, We are not talking about Lexus and Mercedes here, we are talking about average folks wanting to drive decent cars without having to shell out hundreds of dollars a year. My husband bought a 1989 Chev. Pickup. The tabs are $540/year. Come on. This damm truck is 10 years old. You may want to drive old rickety trucks that choke people when they get stuck behind you at a traffic light but I don't. Yes to I-695!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- caroline morgan (celtic266@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

"So we take back control of taxes.. cool.. now how do we go about getting rid of the state reps we are paying to do this job for us?? "

An OUTSTANDING question, Moonhunter. My suggestion is that we go to a unicameral legislature. This will get rid of HALF of the legislators. This will save the special interest groups money since they will only have half as many politicians to buy. No..... free market, it doesn't work that way. The bribes will just get twice as big. We'll save 50% on their salaries though, so it'd help us. If we put every law to a public vote, not just revenue measures, it'd keep them out of mischief. If we put every agency rule to a vote, it'd keep them out of mischief and save us all money, time, and embarassment. Dang, Moondoggie, you have great ideas! I can't understand why maddjack doesn't get along with you.

-- Craig Carson (craigcar@crosswinds.net), September 03, 1999.

Moonhunter:

We have always had the right of recall of state legislators if they don't perform their duties. Maybe we should use it more often.

-- A.C. Johnson (ajohnson@thefuture.net), September 03, 1999.

A.C. writes:

"We have always had the right of recall of state legislators if they don't perform their duties. Maybe we should use it more often."

That's interesting. Seeing how it's almost never, ever used, don't you think that's mean people really aren't that angry with their politicians? Surely we'd be seeing legislators recalled right and left if this was the case.

BB

-- BB (bbquax@hotmail.com), September 04, 1999.

Typical politics of envy. These liberals are constantly pointing at 'the rich' as beneficiaries of any and all tax cuts. In reality, if everyone in this country making over $100K per year had their incomes taxed at 100%, the additional collected revenue wouldn't run the federal government for a single week.

Of the 4.7 MILLION cars registered in the state of Washington, less then 20,000 of them generate motor vehicle excise taxes in excess of $1,000, and only a little over 200,000 more are in the $600-$1,000 range. That leaves over 4.5 MILLION ordinary Joes and Janes, many of whom are driving inefficient, polluting, unsafe older cars just to keep their annual license tab renewal as 'affordable' as they can. Meanwhile, the truly 'rich' are more aggravated at the time wasted sending in their registration renewal than at the amount of MVET they pay--after all, they probably spent more on their last box of Cuban cigars.

-- Tom Evans (evans_tl@hotmail.com), October 15, 1999.

Tax break for the rich?? Come on! How many times do I have to keep hearing this same snivelling opposition!

I'm one of those middle-income folk and I pay over $400 a year in tab fees! I'm not rich, but paying $400 every year all at once, especially around Christmas time, sure makes me poor.

If we want to be fair, we should simply have the gas tax increased. That way those that use more gas pay more, those that have a more fuel efficient car or use public transit won't pay as much.

Oh, and get off that "But we'll have to go to the polls every month to vote on library fees and stuff." Ugh!! Geeze people! THINK!!!

-- Sandy D (sandy_d1@yahoo.com), October 15, 1999.