A preliminary budget has been released in Austin that is all cuts and no revenue.
iIt is a very tough document, but some suggestions have been floated to bring in some extra money, and one might affect the kind of car you buy.
When you’re buying a vehicle, you have a lot of choices. you can go economical, or big anc thirsty.
Well, now the state may exert a little influence on that decision,
Since 1978, in the middle of the second oil embargo, there has been a federal gas guzzler tax.
It is a surcharge levied on vehicles that are not efficient. It can range from $1000 for a vehicle that gets 21.5 miles per gallon or less to as much as $7,700 for one that swallows fuel at a rate less than 12.5 mpg.
Interestingly, trucks and SUV’s are exempt.
Now, the Legislative Budget Board is recommending a state guzzler tax of $100 for inefficient vehicles.
They don’t say yet what the limit will be, but like the federal tax, it would be added to the price by the manufacturer.
To be fair, most people won’t let a mere $100 bucks stand between them and their dream car, but the budget board says it could raise $115 million dollars in the next two years.
There are actually several recommendations for revenue, and some are saying this surcharge is actually too small.
They all go into the hopper for the legislature to consider as they try to find a way out of this budget mess.