Saving energy- and how the middle class gets shafted again
Published November 13, 2013
by Bill Moore, Beaufort Observer, November 12, 2013.
All of us want a cleaner environment and a way to lower energy costs for our homes and vehicles. We have supported the increased costs in cars as new technology has been added to increase fuel efficiency. We have not said anything when cars started using lighter metals so they could increase fuel efficiency. Many of us wondered if our cars were less safe in an accident because of the use of these lighter metals. Yet we still supported the move in general to help us get off of Middle Eastern oil dependency and to help the environment with less carbon emissions.
Yet with all that said and done Government is not willing to share the sacrifice we make in purchasing gasoline, heating fuels and other forms of energy. As fuel mileage increases, the revenues from the tax the States and Feds put on gasoline decreases. Do States and the Feds try to tighten their belts with less revenue?
No, instead they try to find a new way to keep the energy revenue coming. Oregon is testing a road usage fee. They are piloting a program to have a box installed in cars that would report to the state how many miles you drive and they could tax it at the rate established. One pilot had the tax at 1 and 1/2 cents per mile. Other states are looking into similar programs. A simple answer might be to not approve the box installation. However, here are several ways States can get around it. One way is to require all cars new and used sold by dealers to have the box installed. A simpler way would be to use the mileage reported annually on your mandated inspection and tax the difference annually.
They argue the more you use roads the more you should pay. However if you live in a rural area or suburbs you will put on a great deal of mileage commuting to work or shopping. The financial advantage to this new tax would go to those in major cities where things are close and there is public transportation thus cutting down on the need to drive.
Another example of how the Middle Class is being hurt by government decisions on Green Energy. The Government has mandated usage for the alternative energy. It is bad enough solar and wind energy gets massive grants to develop the technology paid for by the Taxpayer. The Government then mandates existing power companies that are distributing the electrical energy must purchase a certain percentage of their energy needs from these green energy companies. At this point on their development, the energy they produce will most likely be more expensive than the fossil fuel energy we currently use. The result is increased costs to the consumer.
Do not get the wrong impression. I support development of alternative fuel sources that we will need in the future. However, until they can compete on the free market, they should not be allowed to increase energy costs to the consumers. You might argue Big Oil gets subsidies from the Government. However they are tax write offs, not direct grants from government, and are not forced additional energy costs on the consumer. I believe that private enterprise should continue to invest in these areas to develop competitive alternative energy. In the meantime the Government should take steps to keep energy costs down for the consumer. Use of clean coal, fracking, opening ore areas for safe drilling of oil and natural gas, and the Keystone Pipeline are just a few steps to be taken currently.
More importantly the government, State and Federal, should start living within their means and not punish consumers with new taxes to make up for lost revenue from mandated fuel economies and propping up new energy industries that are not able to compete on the Free Market. Start allowing the consumer to enjoy the economic benefits from increased mileage per gallon and eventually cheaper electrical power. Stay out of their pocket book. The only shafts the federal and State Governments should support are those in the ground looking for oil, natural gas and coal.
November 13, 2013 at 7:46 pm
Norm Kelly says:
I don't recall ever reading any of Bill's editorials. I don't recall hearing anything about Bill. I know nothing of Bill.
But I can make a few educated guesses about Bill. First, he DOES not work for Beaufort Observer. Bill must be a guest columnist/editorialist.
Second, if Bill actually does work for the Observer, he has other skills or another job already lined up outside of print media. Writing editorials contrary to the elite elected class could be hazardous to his career.
None of what Bill wrote is surprising to conservatives. Nor is it incorrect. However, when the NCGA attempted to start getting the state budget back in some semblance of reality, they were ROASTED by both the Demoncrats and their allies, the press. I'm sure Bill was on the outside looking in on that one. Writing editorials like this will insure he stays on the outside.
It's about time somebody pointed out that all this green crap, all the lies & misinformation about oil & gas subsidies, and the ever increasing tax burden on middle class be taken seriously. Who exactly is it that is penalizing success and the middle class at the same time? In every case it's elected politicians. In most cases it's the Demoncrats who claim to be for the little guy or for the middle class. They call the result 'unintended consequences'. I call it 'wrong'.
