From: dpe@inel.gov (Don Palmrose)
Subject: Re: NEWS: True Costs of Commercial Nuclear Power -- The Economic Failure
Organization: INEL EG&G Idaho
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 93 15:51:44 GMT

In article <51885@seismo.CSS.GOV>, stead@skadi.CSS.GOV (Richard Stead) writes:
> >The
> >poor who generally cannot affort a high efficient auto get hit harder than the
> >rich guy who can affort it without a loss in lifestyle.

> First, high efficiency cars are not the more expensive ones.
>

That is true and something you may have misread if you thought that I was 
stating that efficiency means high cost.  It doesn't.  My point was that the
poor cannot even affort these "low cost high efficiency cars".  From my living
all across the country over the last 14 years, the poor can seem to only 
affort that really old car because it only cost them $500 to $1000.  Having 
a high gas tax will drastically affect their life also because these cars
are also highly inefficient.  Just drive through one of the poor neighborhoods
of Washington D.C. sometime (like around the Washington Navy Yards) and see
what kind of cars they have.  Last time I was there, I did not see alot
of the "low cost high efficiency cars" around.  Then take a trip out to the
poor rural areas of Virginia and look at the cars they have.  You will find
the same thing.

> 
> Second, I want to address the problem of income classes disproportioantely
> hit by the gas tax.  I want a reduction in personal income tax rates
> that is indexed such that income classes that contribute the most gas tax
> get the largest reduction in tax rate.  That is emminantly fair - that
> way if everyone in your income range drove the same kind of car, the
> total taxes you pay wouldn't really change.  Then if you drive a less
> efficient car, or drive excessively more miles than others in your income
> range, that is your choice, and you should pay for your decision.

I'm sorry Richard, this is totally unworkable for the people below the poverty
line.  They do not pay very much in taxes and would have to pay alot for the
gas they use which is not much different than the amount I use for those 
living in places like Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming.  Again the working poor 
generally cannot afford the "low cost high efficiency cars" and will end up
paying more under your scheme.

> 
> Third, if you're really worried about it, buy a motorcycle.  You can take
> them on any roads, they often have better range than cars, they are way
> more fuel efficient and far less expensive than any car.
> 

A motorcycle is no better than a bicycle during the winter months up here in
Idaho.  Everyone I know with motorcycles put them away for 7 to 8 months a 
year here in Idaho.  You really fail to grasp the affect winter weather has 
on people and their choices for autos up here in the Rocky Mountain states.
Plus, a motorcycle is more like a hobby for those people living in the
Rockies.

> The fact that the problems you pose are so easy to solve only strengthens
> my resolve in this matter.  I really think that a big gas tax could be
> instituted that would work great and not unfairly affect anyone.
>
> --
> Richard Stead
> Center for Seismic Studies
> Arlington, VA
> stead@seismo.css.gov
> 

Again, you fail to see how dependent people in the West are on their autos for
their livelyhood, safety, and comfort.  You cannot expect something that could
work in an urban environment will have no drastic long-lasting impact on the
rural west.  People out here do not like people in the east trying to social
engineer their lives especially from people who cannot comprehend the kind of
life they have to lead.  This is what you want to do and if you cannot see or
understand the points I am making, you truly have the blinders on concerning
this topic.

Don Palmrose




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