What is Digg?312 Comments
- Tollboi, on 10/11/2007, -2/+265Sounds to me like it is time for a "Boston Oil Party".
- Sunsetter, on 10/11/2007, -8/+259Solution:
Use vegetable oil.
Don't tell anyone.
No more fines.
Problem solved. - usrlocalbin, on 10/11/2007, -9/+173If you use vegetable oil in your car you don't support the troops and that means you're a terrorist!!
/sarcasm - 13east, on 10/11/2007, -6/+129I understand the state's need to collect revenue, but the fines this guy is utterly ridiculous. How does 29.9 cents per gallon tax equal to the $4500 that he might end up paying?
- LGFAlbatross, on 10/11/2007, -4/+108I think I'd be taking it to court. Even if I came out a loser, it makes the state and the fed look awful. I hate that this guy took the time to convert his car and he's been singled out when he clearly cares about fossil fuel consumption.
Americans who quit smoking don't have to pay the taxes placed by the state or fed on cigarettes that they don't smoke. I don't think it's fair this man should have to pay taxes or fines for not purchasing fossil fuels. - sarazen, on 10/11/2007, -7/+104Hrm, the article states that the department that issued the fine also petitioned the legislature to change the law so that they can waive the fine for small users, and they are even willing to cut a deal with the one fella they did fine. Sounds like the law is just trying to catch up to the new reality, and not the horrible miscarriage of justice the title would suggest.
- Clayton713, on 10/11/2007, -3/+80@tollboi I think that Exxon did that some years back.
- wedges, on 10/11/2007, -5/+53I can't think of a good reason he should be taxed for 'fuel' even though he never really bought 'fuel'.
- epilonious, on 10/11/2007, -13/+61"I don't understand the states need to collect revenue. I am self reliant and require nothing of the state. I pity all the poor souls suckling the states teat because they are too uneducated to take care of themselves. And then, of course, I get to pay my money that I worked for to help take care of them. Yeah, thats fair." --ibanezfoo
Yes, because you never drive on paved roads outside your property or use an airport or benefit from things the government initially funded like DARPA-net.
What are you doing to be so self reliant you never touch a government institution? Living on the moon? - faskill, on 10/11/2007, -3/+50Hmm, just did some simple math. I have a 10 gallon tank. I fill it once a week. So 10 gallons a week, or 520 gallons a year.
520g at $0.29 = $150.8. Given that simple math, if they require tax per gallon, I would have no problem sending in a check for $151 (I even rounded up because I'm just that nice of a guy).
Getting taxed any more than that would be ridiculous - jmontes, on 10/11/2007, -1/+44I wonder how much tax money from cigarettes really goes towards healthcare. Smokers don't get additional healthcare over non-smokers. Uninsured smokers don't get healthcare at all (just like non-smokers.)
So maybe the money goes towards research? If so, after years and years of millions of dollars of tax money (hell, it's probably billions of dollars) what do we have to show for it? Certainly not a cure for lung cancer. How many new treatments for lung cancer even have been discovered? The typical course of action still is to remove the affected lung and hope the other one doesn't develop the disease. The survivability of lung cancer is still not good.
So where is the money really going? - vinividivici, on 10/11/2007, -5/+47If I have a fire in my fireplace to heat the house and help reduce my oil bill, do I owe taxes on that?
- glmory, on 10/11/2007, -0/+39If I get a solar powered car will they tax the sun?
- emehrkay, on 10/11/2007, -8/+47@ tollboi
We're too scared of the government to do that - GirthAgain, on 10/11/2007, -3/+36One reason the electric car was killed.
- evilTak, on 10/11/2007, -0/+32@sunsetter:
If you RTFA, he says that he got stopped at a roadblock where they were _checking diesel vehicles' tanks for untaxed fuel_ - ddev2000, on 10/11/2007, -5/+37@ ibanezfoo
So, you're saying that you don't drive your 'self reliant' ass on the state's highways and road systems?
We are so un-educated that we haven't developed our flying cars like you.
EDIT: Said even better epilonious... - hansonc, on 10/11/2007, -10/+40@ibanezfoo
[quote]I am self reliant and require nothing of the state.[/quote]
Do you ever use roads? Send your kids to schools? Go to just about any sporting event? Eat any food that has a government subsidy? Wear clothing made from materials with a government subsidy? Breath air that has been cleaned thanks to federal/state clean air laws?
You're not self reliant. You just think you are. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -11/+37@wedges
He is taxed for "fuel" because he is using the "roads" that the "fuel" tax goes towards maintaining. - Rickler, on 10/11/2007, -0/+25It is a diesel, submitters title is wrong.
- LGFAlbatross, on 10/11/2007, -4/+27If you don't purchase the product you should not be expected to pay any part of the taxes excised on that product. State, local property, and Federal Income taxes are the responsibility of every citizen - all other taxes on services or products should not be compulsory.
- athodyd, on 10/11/2007, -2/+25I wish you'd said "diesel" instead of gasoline. You had my hopes up.
- munkyxtc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+21@ephogy
"The tax on the fuel isn't there for the fuel itself; it's the fact that you're burning it and using the highways. That tax money is supposed to go toward highway maintenance and environmental cleanup."
You've never been to Pennsylvania have you? - akatherder, on 10/11/2007, -3/+21Do they tax bicyclists for riding on the road? How about people who walk across the street and wear out our crosswalks?
This is completely idiotic. The guy is already paying more than diesel costs. People who promote and use fossil fuels should be rewarded, not hassled. - JAVandiver, on 10/11/2007, -3/+21@ mookiemookie
While what you say is true, we pay vehicle registration fees every year for that very same purpose. - Otto, on 10/11/2007, -4/+22Fuel used on public roads is taxable, period. You're taxed for use of the road. Since there's no realistic way for them to levy taxes based on mileage and such, they tax the fuel you use on those public roads.
But the taxes on fuel are only levied if you're using public roads. This is why farmers routinely buy non-taxed diesel fuel for tractors and such, and then never take those tractors off their own land. And that's perfectly legal, because the taxes apply only to public road vehicles.
In order to enforce compliance, they add dyes to the untaxed fuel. That way they can tell the difference. The fuel works the same in any diesel car, but if they catch you using the dyed fuel on public roads, you get fined. The "checks" they were making are basically for that. - JRumph, on 10/11/2007, -6/+22@ ibanezfoo
Back the truck up a bit there son. I am as right wing/conservative/'gov't just leave me the hell alone' as anyone I know and I still think you are way off.
You may not be on welfare, but I sincerely doubt you are 100% self-reliant. The government provides a multitude of services you aren't giving them credit for. If your house catches fire, the fire dept will come and put it out. The roads you drive on to get to the grocery store? Put there by the gov't. That guy that was going to break into your house? He changed his mind when he realized he'd get caught by the police and put in jail. The fact that the Russians aren't coming here and kicking you out of your house? Thank the military.
I think there are too many taxes out there and I hate paying for the lazy people on welfare, but some taxes are necessary. Those are the ones I don't mind paying. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -1/+17I've been using vegetable oil as fuel for years in my car, but I don't openly brag about it. That is probably where this guy went wrong.
- taz2w, on 10/11/2007, -1/+16What about pure electric vehicles. No fuel tax there. Hmmmmmm
- roosterjm2k2, on 10/11/2007, -0/+14ViniVidiVici
Most states don't tax heat-oil.
Thats why the kerosene you buy at a pump that says for heat/house use is dyed red. You can get undyed kerosene, but it costs a little more because it's taxed. I pay extra for it (i use it for a heater in my workshop) because even though they say it doesn't, it smells and smokes more when it's dyed. - robgranholm, on 10/09/2009, -2/+15wow, what about people who use a bike or never use a car. they aren't paying any "gas taxes" ... what a outlandish fine.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -5/+18Now we are starting to see why we will never be allowed to break our dependence on foreign oil.
Our entrenched system of taxation is too dependent on it to allow things to change. Ever. - donte, on 10/11/2007, -2/+13@mookiemookie
Yes, we all understand what the intent of the tax is. Point is that there still exists no roadway usage tax. There exists a tax on gasoline purchased... of which none was purchased. Hence the outrage. The logic is pretty simple... but then again, government exists nowadays to make money at the expense of logic, reasoning, and common sense. - Otto, on 10/11/2007, -9/+19Buried your comment as idiotic. Nobody cares that there is a difference.
- JimmyRyan, on 10/11/2007, -3/+13Why should they be able to tax him? How about they pick up the pace and start making some alternative fuel solutions they can tax.. What the ***** just happened here!?!
- squeee, on 10/11/2007, -5/+15This is insane. Unless he was not taxed when he bought the oil then they are inventing laws. By this logic everyone who lives in an apartment should have to pay a fine for not paying property tax last year.
- HarryBauzonia, on 10/11/2007, -0/+10The article says that he was stopped at a checkpoint where government officials were checking the fuel in vehicle's tanks.
If he had refused to let them, they wouldn't have been able to do anything. They can't search your car without either your permission or a warrant. There seems to be a little something called the fourth amendment to the constitution that protects us that way.
He should have just said no, but he probably didn't know he needed to. - Starflyer59, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11When do I get my tax money back for all the fuel I've put in my lawnmower? My lawnmower is not being driven on these roads I'm supposedly maintaining, so I cry foul.
- UtahApocalyse, on 10/11/2007, -2/+12This is crap. He never purchased gas. Probably had to pay sales tax on the oil at the store. And paid to register his car. Whats next they going to tax bicycle riders for leg energy if they ride on the street?
- apologeticus, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11FYI everyone: the government makes a LOT more money on fuel sales than the "evil" big oil companies do. They're not going to give up that revenue just because a guy is using veggie oil.
- swavalier711, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9As a resident of PA for the last 19 years,
boy do their roads suck. Even their airport roads. Whenever I land back in PA and its like BUMPITY BUMPITY BUMP BUMP I'm like "ah, Pennsylvania." - lubacious, on 10/11/2007, -0/+9@ tollboi
dugg for the environmental after-effects - Otto, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9Yeah, I'd love to see them try to figure out where the fuel tank is when trying to do a check for that.
- inactive, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8Don't come between a government and its "revenue".
- Ibanezfoo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8"free" country? Where? I haven't seen one of those in many years...
- thebman990, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8Red diesel is for commies.
- Skalizar, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9What about those high mileage cars, using less than half of what everyone else does, shouldn't they be have to pay a fuel avoidance surcharge? Bastards...
- fnaqzna, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9Once again, the government is confronted with an obsolete business model.
- bnuk013, on 10/11/2007, -1/+8If you are using veg oil instead of gasoline you are already f***ed.
(only works in diesels) - BKturdburger, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8I did not really care much for this subject until I read this... I think the Boston oil party is right on target.
What about when cars become all powered by water or electricity? are they going to tax me on water? Oh, I already get taxed for water... What about ele... never mind, I get taxed for that too.
I saw a comment earlier that mentioned that all the fuel taxes were for driving the vehicles on the roads.... what about my lawn mower? ATV? Dirt Bike? Boat? Jet Ski? They don't go on the road... I still get taxed? that's not fair at all. The gas station that is at the marina is still taxed just the same, these drive on the water... hmmmm...
I am going to have to start doing some more research on this, I have now become really interested. I am interested that when cars start getting 100 or 200 miles to the gallon if they will not start taxing for other things on vehicles because they will not be making near as much money.
Mainly, you pay extra for a hybrid, get a discount on your taxes... but when you try to help by doing it yourself you get *****...? fun stuff.
Time to call PENN and TELLER! -
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