Pay as you go

I was under the (mistaken?) impression that hybrid and electric cars used the roads and that roads need maintenance. If neither of those are true, then, of course, there is no need for any special tax on hybrid and electric cars. If both are true, what would happen if we all drove hybrid cars, which use less fuel (and subsequently pay less fuel tax) or, better yet, electric cars, which burn no fuel at all?

In fact, one of my two cars is a hybrid, and we tend to use it for most of our in-town driving, since it costs less per mile to drive than our other car. And we subsequently pay less fuel tax. We still expect roads to be maintained and snow to be removed. Maybe we need to pay a special tax on our hybrid to make up for what we don’t pay in fuel tax. Or pledge to not drive on public roads.

Glenn Sentman

Newman Lake