Hybrid
tax credits: A necessary evil?
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Would
tax credits speed plug-ins?
Tax credits for buying hybrid
cars have long expired for Toyota, the hybrid sales
leader. Likewise, a tax credit for plug-in hybrids was
dropped from the House's energy bill, essentially, at the
request of oil companies.
Yet, small business tax deductions still remain to
purchase the worst gas-guzzling vehicles available as
Congress tells automakers to make more fuel efficient
vehicles.
In reality, Congress and tax incentives have been a huge
part of the problem of poor US fuel economy, such as the
flex-fuel credit. Ultimately, however, if Americans simply
paid the real cost of gasoline at the pump, there would
almost certainly be no need for any tax incentives for any
automobiles.
Unfortunately, that's the nature of our currently defunct
political system.
Since we don't live in a perfect world, and since tax
incentives (pork) are a necessary evil in the workings of
America, aren't hybrid vehicle tax credits - in addition
to credits for electric cars, plug-in
hybrid vehicles, etc - also a necessary evil?
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