Drivers to Pay for Biofriendly Solution
Oddly enough, it is in this article from the China View, that I hear Los Angeles motorists could be slugged a “climate change mitigation and adaptation fee” under a new legislative proposal backed by the board of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).
The new legislation would allow voters to choose between paying an extra 9 cents per gallon at the gas pump (tax), or an additional $90 dollars for their vehicle registration (fee) – higher for cars, trucks and SUV’s that produce higher levels of pollutants.
The idea behind the increased revenue, which could amount up to $400 million dollars per year, is to fund programs that improve public transport and relieve traffic congestion, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help fight global warming.
Although the proposed legislation has support from the MTA and environmentalists, it has met with some opposition, suggesting that the growing public concern about global warming is being exploited.
Clearly, change towards a more biofriendly and greener planet is a good thing – just not sure if this is the best way to go about it. Here is the original Los Angeles Times article. I think I would go the $90 registration fee – it’s a definitive yearly amount. Of course, how often you fill up at the pump will have an impact. With all the hype out their on global warming, sometimes I wonder if this is another avenue to squeeze the consumer for another buck. Looking after the planet is important, but let’s not leave common sense behind as we jump on the bandwagon.
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