I Guess The Idaho Legislature Isn't Always Right On (Twin Falls: vehicle registration, credit)

[dcisive]

Listen, I love living here and don't wish to be critical. However there was something I ran into recently that sure didn't make much sense. My typical driving done on a weekly basis is such minimal mileage I elected to trade out of my wonderful SUV into a new ID-4 VW electric SUV. I'm loving it in every way imaginable and am glad I did it. However when I went up to Gooding County's DMV office to get the registration transferred over (I got a 2 year registration on the Tiguan in April) the gal there explained they were hitting me up for an additional $150 per year due to the fact I'm driving an electric and not a gas vehicle. Seems the State here does NOT take the same attitude towards people who are no longer using gas. New Jersey as example offers a $2000 tax break to non gas vehicle registrations along with the Federal $7500 break when buying/leasing one.

My move to this was strictly motivated by my usage, not political to be sure. The gal explained because I'm no longer going to be buying gas and getting hit up for their gas tax, they instituted a back up plan to make sure they were going to be collecting that tax one way or another. Sheesh like I'm evading taxes due to the use of a non gas vehicle. I'm still not sorry about the switch but feel the State just stabbed me while doing something that is going to save the environment a bit as well. Guess there's no way around it. At least I get to wave and keep driving as I pass the Chevron and Shell stations.

[nm9stheham]

Seems logical. Fuel taxes are highway taxes, and you drive your EV on the highway..... A similarly sized gas powered car, driven the average 15kmiles per year will pay in the $200-250 range per year in fuel taxes in ID.

[riffle]

Originally Posted by dcisive

The gal explained because I'm no longer going to be buying gas and getting hit up for their gas tax, they instituted a back up plan to make sure they were going to be collecting that tax one way or another. Sheesh like I'm evading taxes due to the use of a non gas vehicle.

What doesn't make sense to you about this explanation?

The State of Idaho levies a fuel tax of $0.32/gallon of gasoline. $150/$0.32 = 468.75 gallons. So whether the state recovers more or less from you with your new electric vehicle depends on what your usage was before. Regardless, construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure costs money and someone has to pay for it.

https://tax.idaho.gov/i-1119.cfm

[Syringaloid]

Registration fees are different than tax breaks/credits.

Idaho isn't the only state that charges additional fees for electric vehicles.

https://www.ncsl.org/research/energy...-vehicles.aspx

The Idaho legislature is rarely "right on".

[Treasurevalley92]

The gas tax already doesn't cover the cost to our roads since cars have gotten heavier and more fuel efficient. You have to remember that the damage done to roads by weight is not linear with either weight or gas consumption. As much as I hate Taxes, you have to pay for the roads some how, unless you are willing to go full libertarian.

[dcisive]

Yeah I get it. She did happen to mention the use of the roads has most to do with it. I just figured the gas tax thing was a bit weak. But I'm willing to go along with the fact we need good roads. Honestly having traveled for a living for 10 years some years ago, Idaho has some of the best roads out there. They just repaved Highway 30 last year and are doing I-84. The run from the finished part from Jerome to Twin Falls is now smooth as a baby's butt.

[elousv]

Well , you could be in Kalifornico, where they are asking you NOT even charge your car they pushed you to buy.

[cleosmom]

It makes absolute perfect sense to me!!

[doc1]

Agree with above posters. Actually it seems pretty forward thinking to me that the ID legislature took things into consideration.

Do yourself a favor OP and never use NJ as an example of how to do things.

As highly taxed as they are they're a financial basket case.

[Mister Torgue]

Originally Posted by dcisive

Yeah I get it. She did happen to mention the use of the roads has most to do with it. I just figured the gas tax thing was a bit weak. But I'm willing to go along with the fact we need good roads. Honestly having traveled for a living for 10 years some years ago, Idaho has some of the best roads out there. They just repaved Highway 30 last year and are doing I-84. The run from the finished part from Jerome to Twin Falls is now smooth as a baby's butt.

I just drove 5,400+ miles the last two weeks in every western state except CA and ID does indeed have the best overall roads. It isn’t even close folks.

Also I get the need to add more $$ to reg if you drive electric. The government right or wrong will always get that money and in this case if that money is paying in part to the roadways in ID then it has at least some value. I’m tossing the idea around of buying a third vehicle, a plug in hybrid (Lexus NX450h) and so I’m wondering what both TX and eventually ID will charge me extra will be.