Let the EPA Roll Back Fuel Efficiency Standards. There is a Better Tactic to Reducing Auto Pollution.

April 22, 2018

Happy Earth Day Governor Brown,

I am strong environmentalist. I have been driving EVs since the 1990s. I recycle and have all my lights on dimmers. I have solar panels on my roof that both heat my water and create electricity. I bicycle to the grocery store when I can. Perhaps to your surprise, I recommend that you do NOT fight the EPA and allow them to roll-back the automotive efficiency standards. I have a suggestion that will allow the air, in our great state, to get cleaner and reduce greenhouse emmissions, save the state money in legal costs, while at the same time give consumers choice. Let's add a gasoline state tax, with some caveats.

Cheap fuel does help consumers save money. And our federal government understands that well as gasoline is heavily subsidized especially when you count in military costs used to attempt to stabilize the middle east. You know this by comparing our consumer price of gasoline compared to every other modern nation on earth.

However, as we know there is a price of gasoline that California disproportionately and indirectly pays in health and environment costs because of our state's propensity to accumulate smog and the impact of drought to our agriculture market. The environment accumulated costs amount to over a billion of dollars in money saved to society according to CARB.

Why spend millions of dollars in legal fees fighting the "Un-environmental Protection Agency" when we have a better way to allow the individuals to decide what vehicle he/she drives? Rolling in just an accumulated additional $0.10 cent per gallon per year gasoline tax over the next five years (so in year 5, the tax is an additional $0.50), will allow customers to prepare for their next fuel efficient vehicle. A total of $6 Billion dollars of revenue will be generated in the state, in year five, at present gasoline usages. If a California consumer can afford a Luxury SUV, then let them buy and drive that, knowing that they will be helping California in our goals.

The likely outcome with adding to the already low gasoline tax is that California citizens will want to buy even more fuel efficiency vehicles! Detroit will be forced to oblige in developing these vehicles, and we would have given them a five-year notice to make it fair. This is regardless of what the EPA does in Fuel Efficiency Standards. California is the USA's biggest car market so that auto companies will do what California customers want.

Now to get this gas tax to get approved by state officials and the people here is what we need to do:

1.Use half of the proceeds to reduce state sales tax from 7.25% to 5%. This will also reduce tax liability by about $600 to each tax payer family per year on just a new car purchase. Besides stimulating new car sales in the state, the new sales tax reduction impacts lower income households in a much more immediate way than an income tax reduction as the savings is seen immediately.

2. Use a quarter of the funds to further improve mass-transportation, including busses and trains. This will allow lower-income workers to have better commute options.

3. Use 1% of the funds to roll-out charge stations at low income communities and offices employing low-income workers so they have the option to charge an electric vehicle they may want to purchase.

4. Use a quarter of the funds to expand highways to mitigate traffic congestion and those smog forming and heat-trapping gasses we are all concerned about.

By employing a gas tax, California will be doing its part is reducing smog forming emissions and green-house gasses. Besides saving citizens and corporations in huge hidden side environmental costs, this political maneuver will make the EPA Fuel Efficiency Standards obsolete and allow similar environmental goals to be met. By using half of the proceeds to reduce sales tax and a quarter of the tax back for road improvements, this will be a bill most Californians will back. Not only will the sales tax reduction stimulate the economy, it puts money back in our citizens hands immediately. Let's not waste money fighting the EPA in court. Instead let's focus on cleaning our air by taxing directly the pollution source which will naturally give auto OEMs and consumers a reason to buy a super efficient automobiles in the next five years.

Sincerely,

Anil Paryani