Re: busted for not paying road taxes on biofuels?

I totally agree: it is cheating the system and your fellow man,
forcing them to pay a higher burden of something you are both using.
It is responsible and fair that they tax all road fuels.  Do you
honestly think that the $60-odd registration you pay every 2 years is
enough to pay for re-paving the roads you use every day?  That barely
pays for DMV operations.

Yes, we are a minority now.  But as more people use biofuels, the
economy of road maintenance shifts.  People think bicycles or
motorcycles are not paying their fair share, but they don't cause wear
on roads or add to traffic density or pollutions as much as a car per
mile.

I liken it, philosophically and socio-economically, to downloading
music illegally or cheating on your taxes.  You're getting something
illegally that other people are paying for, and you're making it cost
more for them.  There are already financial and altruistic incentives
for using biofuels, so it is unfair to create your own additional
advantages at the expense of other law-abiding citizens.

On 6/14/07, [email protected]
> ------------------------------
 Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:32:22 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Brian Smithers <[email protected]>
> Subject: Re: [pdx-biodiesel] busted for not paying road taxes on
>         biofuels?
> To: General Biodiesel discussion <[email protected]>
> Message-ID: <[email protected]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ascii
>
> That is all untrue.  If you are driving on Oregon roads, you owe it to your society that you share in the cost of that road.  For that reason, if you are making your own fuel, you are still required to pay a use fuel user road tax (which is minimal) and carry a permit.  If you are caught driving without that permit, it is a hefty fine.
>
> There is a bigger philosophical issue here.  If you are looking to "scam the man" by not paying your fair share of the Oregon road tax, you are actually scamming all of us who like to drive on a well-maintaned road.  It is simple to register for the permit at ODOT and the tax is minimal.  Then you could proudly display your home-made sticker, knowing that your doing so is also in compliance with the law.  I do.
>
> Brian S
>
>