-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
A $100 fee charged to electric vehicle owners in Illinois generated more than $8.8 million for the state in the last year. That's up more than $3.3 million from a year ago, and is earmarked for road construction projects, according to Illinois Secretary of State figures. But because EV drivers don't pay the more lucrative motor fuel tax, some industry experts and government leaders worry owners may not be covering their fair share of road maintenance costs.
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
SIGN UP HERE FOR OUR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
You could save on Illinois motor fuel taxes by moving out of Illinois (or gassing up in Wisconsin) if you live or work near the state line.
$2.66 in Beloit today and if you gas up at Kwik Trip there are additional discounts with certain purchases at the store. P.S. The food there is pretty good.
Fred, I use the occasion to pick up some New Glarus products.
STOP BUYING NEW GLARUS BEER – OWNER DEB CAREY IS LEFTIST TRASH
She’s not an ‘independent’ like she claims. She praised Obama, and met with him; but she spent her free time ranting her TDS on Facebook.
I stopped drinking New Glarus as soon as I found out she was soooooooo liberal and had TDS. Public records show she gives the maximum $$$ to ActBlue, and various other far, far left candidates.
I liked NG beer too. I felt terrible having to give up buying new Glarus beer. But fortunately there are literally hundreds of other local breweries all throughout wisconsin that would LOVE for you to buy their beer. Central Waters is one of my favorite along with 3 Sheeps in Sheboygan.
Try Gray Brewing in Janesville. One of the oldest family run breweries in the US.
Will do!
What about the good old fashion Meister Brau/Schlitz/ or Hamm’s or Goose Island beers?
All piss water. And Goose Island owned by one of the conglomerates. I will however drink a lienies every now and again despite being a Miller Coors product. I visited the brewery before the buyout, many many years ago, on the way back from a wedding in MN.
All the tax money in the world is not enough for Illinois roads.
Some of the highest gas taxes and the roads are in poor shape. Someone is making a lot of money off this tax.
The asphalt paver quoted in this article asserts that heavier (electric) cars don’t put more wear on roads. Talking his book, I guess.
I wonder why electric cars wear out tires faster because of the extra weight but not the roads?
Well, first you have to ponder the “scientific basis” for the credentials of this unknown “asphalt paver” whatever that term means. Maybe he’s an ordinary worker bloviating, or maybe he truly has the academic credentials to make such a statement. Being in the business as an active paver or boss of any such work doesn’t qualify him alone to be expert enough to be taken seriously in my view as regards that statement at least. Maybe yes, but that’s not necessarily so.
A Honda Ridgeline pickup and a Rivian EV pickup are about the same length.
Ridgeline curb weight = 4500 lbs
Rivian curb weight = 7400 lbs
The other lesson here? If you drive a small vehicle, in traffic stay behind all heavy EVs, even at slow speeds. Your life depends on it.
With total Illinois gas tax at 62 cents a gallon, $100 is what a gas driver would pay for 151 gallons. Obviously the EV drivers are getting another subsidy at the expense of gas drivers. There probably isn’t a car in the state that uses only 150 gallons per year.
The AAA numbers in the article of about 600 gallons annually I verified with a local car dealer here. EV’s are not paying close to what they should be for the road tax. Why? Pritzker and Democrats and their goofy ideas and totalitarian behavior.
There’s at least one car that doesn’t use 150 gallons per year. My wife has a tiny convertible she drives to and from tennis in the summer that has about 14,000 miles on it after 12 years.
It’s not good to let a car sit – it will rot. If you have it garaged, under a tarp, and on jacks it helps some.