Hybrids should not be exempt. People driving hybrids should pay taxes too.

What a misleading article.. The majority of the excise tax collected it kept by the town.. who yes pay to pay some roads etc.. But they will make this money up by tax shifting... higher dump fees, water usage fees, property taxes, dog licenses etc... I feel it REALLY doesn't matter because I will still be paying for it one way or another.. BUT maybe it will help local car dealers with sales and boost local economies??

Won't pass...Maine sheeple lovvvvvvvvvvvve their high taxes and moonbat politicians!

Vote Yes, don't be fooled by the scare tactics! We need to force there hand and demand these towns learn to budget just like the citizens that live in these towns. I could care less about garbage pickup and perfect roads. They will not cut the fire department, police etc. They will have to learn to manage other ways. Welcome to the real world, municipalities!

Punish the successful. Use taxes to fund social experiments.

Same old socialist crap.

What freshly paved roads? Where I live the state roads are in bad shape. We vote in money to get them fixed. And the roads from Bangor to Kittery get fixed the rural areas get screwed again. But I still will not be voting for the Exci se tax not because of the roads but because all it does is give a break to people who can buy a NEW Car. I feel the excise tax should drop on every car every year for 12 or so years. That is the fair way to do it. And does not screw the poor in the state.

While their at it...why have car inspections on a new car? Should be once after the first five years then every two years.

The Hybrid drivers should be taxed triple. The State deserves any profit that the green mongers ever thought they would steal from the state!

This is such a misleading article. If 100% of the excise tax went to road improvements (paving, bridge and road maintenece etc.) I might be ok with leaving things as they are. C'mon people, you know we pay some of the highest excise taxes in the country! How are the roads? Maybe people could actually afford a new vehicle once in a while if it weren't for all the taxes that come alomg with the new keys. All these lawmakers that are "afraid of law making by referendem" don't get it at all. The people are so sick of paying more for less. I was in Bangor this weekend, Wasn't a rest area open the whole way up or back and the roads looked the same there as they ever have... brutal. Give the pols what they need most, a good dose of accountability...

If you can afford the new car, you can afford the taxes. I'd vote for this if it covered everyone and not just a select age group of vehicles. I would only vote for it if that were the case. Why? Simple, we pay our towns and cities every year with these taxes and how many of these roads are kept up? How many roads could be in better shape but somebody always makes blame to not enough money, higher costs, etc. Of course if we vote for it, towns will raise taxes, and for the most part, it will come to a point where people will continue leaving this state still. I still ask why Augusta has not given our neighbors a call in the granite state and ask them how they are managing taxes.

zatzwoods.The excise tax DOES drop year to year.Its still an absurd tax tho.

The money people would save on excise tax they would be spending three times as much or more for car repairs from pot holes, frost heaves, accidents from less sand and plowing, etc. We pay the excise taxes so the roads can be taken care of. I'd rather pay the tax and not have to put new shocks, coils and exhausts on my car, thanks.

centaurmyst

why should people who can afford new cars bear all the burden?

let's make it an across the board tax, with everybody contributing equal shares.

everybody uses the roads don't they? why should everybody not pay the same amount?

i'm not against that, i am against the system they have in place now though.

i just paid a little over $2,000 to register a new vehicle. You can't tell me that's fair.

I'll be voting YES on question 1 and question 2!

leumas, you hit the nail on the head. Hybrid owners should be tripletaxed because of the shortfall they're causing with the gas tax! If anyone should get a break, it's those who are getting soaked by the gas tax!

Sincity...now when a car needs repairs ...especially when it is on one of the young adults vehicles or a college bound student we get second and third quotes... They see them coming a mile away. They've have been told they need repairs of $1,300 and gone somewheres else and it was only $120.00. The repairs weren't needed.

firefly

forgive me, but I'm not seeing your point.

explain?

Tax Tax Tax is this all this state can do think of more ways to screw people.....geez lets get rid of these idiots in the state house from the top down.

The problem is the way this bill is written. What does hybrid vehicles have to do with it? ALL vehicles should pay excise tax, but at a lower rate. Maine government from the town level, to Augusta have enjoyed their high taxes for so long that they have all forgotten how to tighten their belt like the rest of us, and most important....WHO THEY WORK FOR.

This would have been a good bill, to bad some assinine person wrote their yuppy hybrid BS into it.

SinCity : my last ten vehicles cost less than $2000. I'm voting no. Why should I pay the tax and not you ?

Sincity : by the way, it's not the system that needs to be changed it's the people that came up with the ideas,the people that made the law. Vote them out !

I don't understand the whining from you people who own cars that are 6 years or more old. You aren't paying anymore for excise tax than what it costs for a Big Mac Meal are you? So, why are you whining? I just paid $900.00 on my 2009 pick up truck and I agree with the people who say that enough is enough. I'm voting YES on 1 and YES on TABOR. I agree with the people who say that both Questions could have been written a lot better. But it seems a lot like the apple pie I made last night - I could have made it better but I ate it anyway, and it was better than a store-bought pie. If both Questions pass Maine will suddenly become a state where government will be accountable to the people and not a playground for money burners.

I'm voting no. If a higher excise discourages one person from owning a car, and instead prods that person into trying a lifestyle where daily use of a car is not a requirement, then it's a good thing.

I believe if you look back when the excise tax started, it was surpose to be temporary as is the Maine Income tax too. This ought to be brought up.

why not exempt cars over 5 years old and tax newer ones? Most of us drive vehicles over 5 years old

/13/09 at 6:13 AM, hankwilliams wrote: Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I'm voting no. If a higher excise discourages one person from owning a car, and instead prods that person into trying a lifestyle where daily use of a car is not a requirement, then it's a good thing.

Seriously? what would be the alternative for my 30 mile commute to work every day? I suppose I could stay home, smoke some weed, and live off of the state. Maybe I could go to college full time for a few years, and learn how we are all very very bad people here in America.

UFB

Don't listen to what the puppet masters at MMA are saying, as they are only looking out for their own greedy ambitions. Our Maine governments are broken at both the local and state levels. It's time for us to put some reins on spending at both levels, and a YES vote for Q.2 and Q.4 will do just that. It will give us taxpayers more local control, but the political puppet masters won't like it... and that is obvious by all of the lies and scare tactics they're using in this campaign. Please, do your research and you'll dicover YES on 2 and YES on 4 will be the best solution for Maine taxpayers.

If you would prefer to live under socialism/communism, just keep drinking their kool-aid and do what they say. God bless our USA.

In some states It costs a 100.00 to register and 40.00 to renew. ^.^

augustagoverned, what are you driving?!!! a hummer? why are you enriching the government to drive your truck on your roads.

I am voting as soon as my absentee ballot arrives in the mail. I have thought through all 7 questions, done my research, and...

I am voting Yes on 1.

I am voting No on 2.

I am voting Yes on 3.

I am voting Yes on 4.

I am voting No on 5.

I am voting No on 6.

I am voting Yes on 7.

There, that's simple enough!

Pay your taxes to your community through the exise tax or through your property tax. Either way you will be paying the same. It cost X amount of money to run your community. It will be collected either way.

Tax his land, Tax his wage, Tax his bed in which he lays. Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes is the rule. Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirts, Tax his work, Tax his dirt. Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he tries to think. Tax his booze, Tax his beers, if he cries, Tax his tears. Tax his bills, Tax his gas, Tax his notes, Tax his cash. Tax him good and let him know that after taxes, he has no dough. If he hollers, Tax him more; Tax him until he's good and sore. Tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in which he lays. Put these words upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom!' And when he's gone, We won't relax, We’ll still be after the inheritance tax!

I suspect some of you aren't old enough to remember that when the Federal government slashed tax rates in the eighties, they pushed expenses onto the states who in turn pushed them onto the municipalities which at the time the local control folks were thrilled with. One way to lower your tax bill is to give up some local control and spread the costs of certain services across a larger pool -- but then you'll complain about those taxes.

Having a new car is not necessarily a stamp of having earned it or being able to afford it. Believe me, I've stood in court and listened to someone who owed me thousands of dollars in back rent claim that she couldn't pay it because, among other expenses, she had to make payments on a new truck. The stuff you own is not necessarily a mark of your virtue. It may be a mark of your willingness to take advantage of others. There are plenty of people out there who drive status symbol cars whose success is built on the backs of workers they push constantly for more productivity while paying them low wages with no benefits (which incidentally often forces other taxpayers to pick up those workers' medical expenses.) For all the whining about welfare deadbeats, there are plenty of businessmen who feel they are entitled to all the profits no matter how many others contributed to their success.

Excise taxes are among the fairest there are -- users of roads pay for their upkeep. If they're higher in Maine than other states, well -- it's a big state with a small population, a fair proportion of which is pretty old and may not even be registering a car anymore.

If they want to tax everything that is bad for us, Soda, tabacco, candy ,processed food, whatever, Fine. but gee if I can't afford a new car will I still be able to afford to drive to work? Seems like keep the poor poorer Keep the rich richer.

i don't understand the animosity towards hybrid owners? explain plz?

Sincity...the point is excise tax is expensive. It discourages people from purchasing new vehicles. You get taken for a ride either way....the car the kids drive with over 60,000 miles under the hood which some mechanics take advantage of when the kids go in for inspections. We know very well those taxes and fees don't get put to good use. Someone who works in the department of transportation told me there is alot of waste in the department. They could tax us all they want and I doubt will see much of a difference. They just waste our money...that's all there is to it.

What about the people that drive 6 yr or older cars?? If i recall in a recent DBN article over 70% of Mainers fall into that catagory

This Tax is bass ackwards...Give the people who cant afford the new car the break. And how can the price tag on a vehicle determine the wear and tear it will cause on the roads??

REDUCE.. REUSE..RECYCLE....Remember??? These older cars may burn a bit more gas..but look at the expendature of raw materials and the pollutants created to make new cars. Foolish! Seems to me this whole GREEN thing is just an excuse to keep the car mfg's alive. and this tax break to sell more cars that people cant afford right now.

The VW jetta 5speed has been getting 40+ mpg's for decades

THINK poeple THINK!!!!

Let me see my already high property taxes will go up if I vote for the excise tax decrease. If I vote no to decreasing the excise tax the money I pay in total taxes will be the same (except for they continue to rise part). Yes I can see the extra money lost in excise tax money will have to be made up by the property tax payer. Except hum, are there other ways of getting it more fairly. One would have to wonder about all the renters out there.

Well since I have a choice in the matter I`ll be voting Yes on decreasing the excise tax. You see Brewers last fine example of our town goverment at work has shown me again that there is something wrong with the system, not that Bangor hasn`t shown us the same example over time. And if Tabor passes you will have to come to me for approvel of the way you are going to get your so called extra money in the future. So I hope you can see that voting to lower my overall tax burden (in case you have forgetten thats what it is) seems to me the only common sense approach to taking care of myself and my fellow citizens. You see I woke up a fews years ago. Sorry.

why not tax vehicles based on their weight classes? heavier vehicles have a larger effect on the roads? I mean, a Hyundai Accent has less wear on the road than a GMC Sierra...

As I read through the comments written about this article, I realize why Maine is so far behind other states in this union. You people

just continue to whine, whine, whine. I got tired of paying Maines higher taxes and retired down to Virginia. My new truck costs me $121.58 to license and register it for TWO years. My property taxes where over $6,000.00 when I lived in Northern Maine. My home here is appraised $100,000.00 more and I pay just $942.00 taxes a year. A savings just between those two of $5,700.00 It's just as good in my pocket to use as it is in the city office of my

Northern home town of Maine.

If you can afford to pay $2,000 to register a new vehicle, then you obviously can afford it. People driving a $500-$1000 ten-year-old car should pay their fair share too. But I can't see any justification for one person driving a 2010 $40,000 vehicle paying the same tax (in dollars) as someone driving a ten-year-old rust-bucket that is probably held together with duct tape, bailing wire, and crossed fingers, hoping it'll stay together another year.

I think everyone across-the-board should pay the same tax rate for excise tax. Sorry, but if you make more, you spend more. That's all there is to it. It's not punishment, it's your civic responsibility. Believe me, those can can have it, can afford it. Stop and think of all the ways those that have more, save more, that those who don't, can't. Just this morning on my drive to work I heard an advertisement on the radio for 25% off brand-new tires, but only if you bought four tires, at the same time. Someone making $12,000/year is lucky to be able to replace one tire, and is going to pay full price. Someone making $50,000 a year might have to struggle to do it, but could probably come up with enough to replace all four tires at the same time, and thus qualify for the 25% savings. Using the logic that paying more in taxes is punishment for earning more, what would you call it when someone who earns less has to pay more because they aren't as well-off as you?

I read this while following this article here and couldn't help but laugh.

Accounts Receivable Tax, Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax, Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Perm it Tax, Gasoline Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fe e Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration Tax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Workers Compensation Tax.

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened? Can you spell ‘politicians? And I still have to 'press 1' for English.

OOPS! I shold have put quotes around all but the very first line.

AugustaGoverned: You said: "I don't understand the whining from you people who own cars that are 6 years or more old. You aren't paying anymore for excise tax than what it costs for a Big Mac Meal are you? So, why are you whining? I just paid $900.00 on my 2009 pick up truck and I agree with the people who say that enough is enough."

I don't know what you think a person driving a six-year-old vehicle pays in excise tax. I can tell you what I paid. On my eight-year old Mercury Sable/Ford, I paid $145. That's a little less than 1/6th what you paid, but still far more than a Big Mac Meal ($5). I also paid $80 for a front-end alignment yesterday, $400 for a new serpentine belt last month, and will pay another $175 for two new tires next month. On my wife's 2002 Chrysler, we paid $2,200 last month in repairs, to keep it road-worthy. Her excise tax is about $120. The repairs and the excise taxes are cheaper than the cost of a new vehicle which, believe me, my wife wants. Between the two of us, the blue-book value of her car and mine together is about $2,500-$3,000. And we paid, between the two of us, $265.00 for excise tax. Dollar-for-dollar, I am guessing you paid a lower excise tax rate than we did, based on the value of our vehicles.

If you ask me, if the value of your vehicle is less because it's older (even older than the five-year cycle), the excise tax should continue to decline.

I pay about $100 per year for my 12+ year old pick-up. If most of the state residents own older vehicles, why are we giving a tax break to those that can afford new vehicles?

Maine excise tax (29.5%) is the fifth highest in the nation behind NC (29.9%), WI (30.9%), RI (32.0%) and WA (37.5%). Our combined gas tax is fifteenth highest (49.4 cents per gallon), but only 2.1 cents per gallon higher than the national average.

Taxes are usually the burden to those that can't afford them. My fear is that if Question 1 is passed we will see our gas tax increase to the levels of California (65.8 cents per gallon). If that happens - your thirty gallon gas tank will cost an extra $4.92 to fill up. If you fill once a week, that is $255.84 per year.

I'll stick to my $100 excise tax................

Statistics provided by http://www.api.org/statistics/fueltaxes/

I definately appreciate the lower excise tax for people who buy new cars, because it may help the automobile industry...but...on the other hand, yet again the government is helping those out who can afford new vehicles, or those who are in a higher income bracket and us middle class/poor are suffering yet again!

Where are these great roads they are talking about that our excise tax pay. We won't buy a new car because of the high excise tax.

I never buy vehicles new, it makes more sense to buy a three year old vehicle with 30,000 miles on it. You get basically a new vehicle, pay lower insurance, lower exise tax, lower sales tax, and don't take a bath on depreciation. I also buy them in Central Florida, so you don't buy a Maine vehicle that has had three years of salt exposure, and on top of that, there is more competition in FL, so you usually pay a couple grand less than if you bought the same vehicle in Maine.

I can live with the exise tax as it is.

Not everyone drives 30 miles to work. It's a lifestyle decision. I moved to be closer to my work, which enabled me to give up my car. I do rent one occasionally.

I realize that most working Mainers need to own cars. Not all of us do. Encouraging alternatives would help expand this minority and make life better for car owners and non-car-owners alike. Maybe stimulate downtowm businesses too.

When we lived in Maine it cost over $300 to register our minivan each year. The year we moved to Tennessee it cost us $75 (and it has been about that much each year). Granted, TN doesn't have snow and ice, but they do have many more roads and more vehicles pounding those roads every year. Generally I favor consumption taxes as the most efficient means of collecting revenues for usage (say, in contrast, to toll booths with toll worker payrolls in the neighborhood of $80K each including taxes and benefits).

But the excise taxes in Maine are outrageous.

The problem is Maine, like so many other states, believes in high taxes and high spending. TN does a better job of maintaining reasonable taxes and fees. As a results, businesses are moving to TN from California, Michigan, and other tax-unfriendly places. The result is more businesses and workers, who in turn pay more taxes, which helps sustain and even increase revenues.

We have no income tax here. Our sales tax is a hair under 10%, which really isn't much more than Maine's really. And property taxes on balance are less (ours are less than half as much as what we paid for the same amount of land in Maine).

Maine has a tax and spend problem. Unlike families and businesses, the government believes that it doesn't have to live within its means. "We can't afford NOT to spend this money... " mentality will sink the state, just as it has sunk California and Michigan.

That's the real issue, and it's going to take real change to fix it. Lower your taxes, attract businesses, put people to work so they can provide for themselves instead of 'existing' on welfare, and Maine's problems will begin to disappear.

Get rid of the excise tax their going to tax something else.

i still say taxing by weight would logically solve their problem...

JoelCran4d - while it is great to hear from those in other states expound on the lack of taxes they pay, the state of Tennessee has some interesting taxes.

Alcoholic Beverage Taxes, Automotive Rental Surcharge Tax, Bail Bond Tax, Beer Taxes, Business Tax, Coin-operated Amusement Tax, Franchise and Excise Tax, Gift Tax, Gross Receipts Taxes, Individual Income Tax, Inheritance Tax, Liquor-by-the-drink Tax, Mixing Bar Tax, Motor Fuel Taxes,

Oil and Tire Taxes, Professional Privilege Tax, Sales and Use Tax, Severance Taxes, Television and Telecommunications Tax, Tobacco Taxes and Unauthorized Substances Tax.

Like all states, it's the nickels and dimes that are the real taxes.

letherbridgestewart I agree, as long as the owner is sitting in the car when it is weighed, that way we could have an obesity tax as well.

haha boogyman...

i mean the weight class of the car. subcompact, compact, coupe, sedan, etc...if excise taxes go to repair roads, this seems a logical and proportional way of dealing with it fairly and not creating a manifestation of class-ism.

fas?cism??/?fæ??z?m/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [fash-iz-uhm]

noun 1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a governmental system led by a dictator having complete power, forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, regimenting all industry, commerce, etc., and emphasizing an aggressive nationalism and often racism.

I don't see anything in there that says right or left wing. Regimenting all industry and commerce definitely falls into the US left wing agenda, aggressive nationalism definitely falls into the US right wing agenda.

I don't believe anyone supports dictatorship or suppressing opposition and criticism.

gw2kpro, I think you just won the thread.

I still think it suck's as if not 4 all the people and car years I will vote against the bill, not everyone can afford new cars!!

Lizabeth .... Can you say snowplow? Maintain does not necessarily mean asphalt

00donald,

so what you're advocating is redistribution of tax for the benefit of all citizens?

Well - hey - would you like to know WHY the cars in Maine are more than 5 years old? No one can afford a NEW car every other day and still pay $900 in excise tax --- then hope they will use the money to redo the roads - which they do - but certainly not in Washington County - "THE OTHER MAINE" hmmmmmm We heard that we are soon to be part of New Brunswick - which probably would be the best thing that ever happened - THEY take CARE of the roads!!! LOL

I will be voting no. Everyone knows that if towns and city's lose the ability to tax in one area they will be making it up in another. Like property taxes.

also this only benefits those who are buying cars not ones already on the road.

I wonder how many people would complain about the lack of snow plowing this winter if the towns cut it out of their budget due to lack of funds.

What tax in the state of maine is not absurd . If you cut the taxes on one thing the tax and spend liberals in agusta will just raise them on something else. Lets fix the problem an elect true conservatives no matter what party they belong to . What we have in agusta just isn't working for us .

I wouldn't mind having some fiscal conservatives in Augusta, but they never stop there. Conservative always want to legislate morals, which are none of their business. I would vote for more fiscally conservative people if they refuse to legislate morals i.e. abortion, contraception, gay marriage, drug laws...

good find pjramsay, but doesn't really support your argument. Motor Fuel Taxes - I think we have this one, we just call it it gas though. Oil and Tire Taxes - We are still trying to figure out this one, we tried one way but were not smart enough, so we are trying something else at this time. Sales and Use Tax - check. Tobacco Taxes - you are kidding right. Unauthorized Substances Tax - This one is a great idea. If I have to pay tax on my legal "substances" why shouldn't the pill head be charged a tax for the street value of what they find on him? Might actually put a dent in a dealer's profits since we don't actually send them to jail, just inconvenience them for a while.

I agree concernsme, the Religous Right hijacked the republican party.

And the Democratic party is atleast the devil we know.

I think they need to break up the two main political parties, like branch them out into 4 main political parties to choose from.

Because right now, it's like that South Park episode where our choices of mascots are either a Douche Bag or a Terd sandwich.

More choices would be nice.

No matter how much we get taxed, it will never be enough.

In the town which I reside excise taxes are used to offset property taxes. I have a hard time feeling sorry for someone whining about excise tax that can afford a new vehicle. Especially if they rent an apartment or house and therefore pay no property tax to the town that has to provide a road for them to drive on.

wonderingaboutstuff

the tax should be straight across the board.

a dude with a rustbucket, uses the same roads a dude with a new vehicle does.

if anything the rust bucket guys should pay more, because he's probaby dripping oil all over the road, which destroys the asphalt.

everyone should have to pay $200 for excise tax no matter how old your vehicle is.

davidreed,

Cry me a freakin river!! You are so far off base it is rediculous. That rust bucket car does just as much damage to the roads as a new one. You are a Socialist plain and simple. Boo hoo, there are people that make a lot more money than other, take there money, I am poor, I don't work hard, I am complacent where I am, I don't want to make more, make others pay. You are an idiot. Plain and simple. This is about States and towns that do not know how to manage OUR money. You fall for there scare tactics, your problem, not mine. You are pathetic, lazy or should I say a Socialist, oops, already said that.

concernsme,

Not me, I have a 4 wheel drive truck and think it would be fun. Don't whine about the little things in life, I could care less if the roads were plowed.

Taxes, Taxes your my pal, Tabor folks can go to hal!

This id passed would only reward those who already have more than their fair share and are the least responsible. Only small fuel effcient cars should get a disount and the taxes on the bigger less efficient cars should be raised. And old, heavy smoking gas guzzlers need the taxes on then raised as well. Then you might really see some of them finally repleced with no more of the same but newer and still huge and only a little bit better mileage.

Plus, an excise tax is supposed to be for excising which kinda sounds like exercising which is kinda like using so the tax rate should also be based on how much cars are actually used, how much they weigh, what kind of fule economy they get and how clean their emmissions are. So you pay per mile used and your per mile rate is based on actual car weight, MPG and emission rate. That is the fairest and best way, as those who use more, put more wear and tear on the roads, and use more gas doing it all while they pollute more and so they should pay more as well.

Some Hybrids use more fuel than a few "smaller" vehicles that are not "hybrids", so I say the hybrids should pay too.

flyfishing;

What a good example of how other states don't rape their citizens. Thank you for that info. The citizens of your state must have the balls to stand up against government and keep control of it. I wish more Maine people were not such wimps.

hankwilliams;

Your pathetic, go pedal your bike and don't worry about the working backbone of this state.

personally i would like to know where there are roads that are freshly paved in Maine without a pothole every mile and where the plows actually do sand and clean up properly so you are not in the ditches of someone's yard!

Cuz in my area it ain't here!

Either way I don't agree with this law and I feel if they want to help everyone don't pick out just hybrid vehicles, help everyone of Maine and give everyone an excise tax decrease.

And leave homeowners and landlords out of it..

Sounds to me like not a good law to even have.

Anyways think of it how many in Maine can actually afford a hybrid vehicle??

Last I knew a lot of Mainers are out of work....

If Hampden wanted lower taxes why did they spend $60,000,000 on a new high school? The highest amount ever spent in Maines history for a single school. Jerks!

Some of you are so pathetic. What kind of statement is "Those who already have more than there fair share", again, cry me a river! Who are you to decide what is more than there fair share. Some people work 20 hours a week for what they have, some work 100 hours per week. Its called WORK people, that is how you make money. Fine, if you don't want more money, no one should be concerned, if you make more, then people should not cry about it. If Bob works more than Dave, then Bob deserves what he has, plain and simple. Some of you really need to quit being so jealous, or at least quit worrying what someone else has. Some of you should pay more taxes for simply wasting Oxygen.

This is not a law put in place to reward a certain group of people. It is taking away taxes that are outrageous, what is so hard to understand about that.

movethen, i must mark the calendar. i agree with you :-D

So does anyone know, (or have an opinion on), how many full time employees per X number of citizens a town office should have? I'm not saying we have too many, but it seems like Hampden has a good number of employees working each time I go in there for something. Additionally, Sue Lessard says that Hampden will lose so much money if the excise tax break passes. I'm paying almost 3 times as much taxes as some other local towns, so where is all that money going? I understand our school system is good, but where else are we spending?

One area in the town I would fully support is a higher transfer station fee. At $5 per year, it seems like we should be paying more than that. The 2000 census said we have 2,433 households, and even if only half of the households purchased transfer station stickers at, say, $50 a year rather than $5, that is an extra $54,000 or so for the budget. I agree with many other posters here, let's get our government spending in check, and not view our budgets as never-ending checkbooks with no worry on cutting back.

Leth,

any chance for a yes on 1 also? :)

If a person can't afford to pay full excise tax on a new vehicle, then they can't afford the vehicle at all and should not buy it. If anyone deserves a break on excise tax is the people who drive vehicles that are more than 6 years old because we can't afford to buy new vehicles. I'm driving an 11 year old vehicle with nearly 200,000 miles on it and a 14 year old vehicle that has 140,000 miles. I can't afford to buy anything newer but I will be punished because of it???!!!

northofaugusta

the point is, why should it have anything to do with the age of your car.

your car is used the same way my car is used. we should pay equal excise tax.

it's very simple.

also, sincity, that makes sense...

movethen, I find that fiscal conservatism is a very different thing than "moral" conservatism... :p Don't be surprised that I agree on things like this lol

FYI-

Fascism -

the name comes from the political party of Mussolini in Italy.

The definition of fascism varies according to which aspects of Mussolini's government are being highlighted.

Mussolini himself wrote that fascism differed from socialism in that under socialism, the government controls business; under fascism, business controls government. That part doesn't often get into the dictionaries, which tend to focus more on the dictatorial aspects.

Collins English Dictionary:

fascism [?fæ??z?m]

n (sometimes capital)

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) any ideology or movement inspired by Italian Fascism, such as German National Socialism; any right-wing nationalist ideology or movement with an authoritarian and hierarchical structure that is fundamentally opposed to democracy and liberalism

2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) any ideology, movement, programme, tendency, etc., that may be characterized as right-wing, chauvinist, authoritarian, etc.

northofaugusta,

Why is this so difficult to understand? You are not getting punished for anyhting. You already pay a reasonable excise tax that all should be paying. Have you researched what most states pay, like 50 bucks. What this is doing is bringing more equality and more sense to this tax. The new car buyers are getting punished right now, not you. I still do not see what is so difficult to understand? Your first statement is so incorrect, I don't know how to respond. What is the "full excise tax on a new vehicle", it is what the state says it is, this does not mean it is fair. What if the state made it so rediculous that not one person could buy a new vehicle, would you still make the same statement? Absurd

What we have now IS NOT reasonable. The proposed fix is even crazier, as it does not address any of the real problems we face in this world with either cars or taxes/gov't spending/waste. What we really need are real rational sane solutions that take actual reality into account!

That said: I too think hybrids are partially BS. So I say all high efficiency, high mpg, low emissions, low-weight and low impact vehicles should be taxed at a lower rate and all low efficiency, low mpg, high emissions and high-weight and thus high impact vehicles should be taxed at a higher rate. The initial MSRP and the age of the car should not be the single determining factor, as it now is. Also the miles actually driven should be counted in the tax rate as well. And then for business vehicles there needs to be a separate rate structure based on that as well. It all should be set up to encourage less frivolous driving and the buying of smaller, lighter, more efficient, higher MPG, lower emission vehicles and those who opt otherwise should have to pay through their nose because they really are costing us all more in the long run as they force gas prices ever higher ever faster, do more damage to the roads that need to be spent on by us all and increase the rate of destruction of the very world that we all have to share now and with ALL our descendents.

gregdavid,

That is my point, it is less reasonable for the new vehicles. My point was that the older vehicles are more in line with what other States charge. So, yes, the older vehicles are paying a more reasonable rate. I completely agree, what we have now in effect for the newer vehicles is NOT reasonable.

Much of your other opinions are nonsense, in my opinion. Do you really believe a passenger truck does more damage than a passenger vehicle? No it does not. Who are you or the government to determine what is frivolous driving? We do live in America you know. Why do you want so much government intrution in our lifes. Soon we will have the government telling us we do not need to be watching television at 2am because this uses electricity. We don't need a tax structure that is so convoluted as you propose, ever hear of "Keep it simple, stupid". What we need is municipalities and governments to stop spending money the way we do. We also need people to stop whining about everything they think the government should give us. You know what, we live in Maine, we are going to have pot holes and snow on the roads. Those people that don't like it, maybe they should "movethen"

Movethen,

SinCity has it right by saying the point is, why should it have anything to do with the age of your car? Your car is used the same way my car is used. We should pay equal excise tax. It's very simple. My point is exactly that. Why should only the people who have the newer vehicles get a 55% tax break and not every car owner regardless of age of the vehicle? Here's a thought, maybe excise taxes should instead be based on the number of miles we put on our vehicles each year? Those who put on the most miles are causing the most wear and tear on the roads so they should pay more. By the way, I don't make it a habit to attack people personally for exercising their right to voice their opinions so I don't understand why you felt the need to attack me by saying "I still do not see what is so difficult to understand? Your first statement is so incorrect, I don't know how to respond" "Absurd" For one thing, I never asked you to respond! Oh, with that being said, "full excise tax on a new car" is the amount one pays without the 55% tax break...its that simple.

I find LilMikey very taxing. He taxes my patience! Little does he get that the biggest tax he pays each and every day are the huge private taxes levied by his employer and those with whom he does business (even 10 steps removed form his one very life). His employer withholds and keeps for themselves 1000's upon 1000's of dollars of the wealth he personally creates for them. And then with what little he has left, when he buys just about anything, goods or services, he pays yet another huge private tax to manufaturers and distrubutors and middle men and wall street and investors and stock holders and proprietors all in the name of profit, profits at 10 or 15 more levels than gov't ever charges him and yet Gov't actually gives him some roads and laws and courts to protects him from crime and yet the profiteers just laugh at him all the way to the bank, and some of them just laugh, because they are the bank. Gov't and taxes are not the enemy. Big business and the haves who hold all the cards and suck away 95% of your personally created wealth, before you ever even get to have it, are the real enemey, and taxes are there to try and get some of that back for you in the form of infrastructure and services that you would otherwise have not. And too bad LilMikey (and all the rest of you) cannot undertand that.

DavidReed,

It is you who does not understand. What gives you the right to think you deserve more of the corporates, business or company's money? Did you start the company, did you come up the the idea or invention. Did you invest your lifes savings into the gamble of running a business? How do you determine you are worth more? Do you have you Masters or Doctorates degree? Are you brilliant enough to come up with ideas that makes your company more money? The companies and businesess supply us with JOBS that allow us to put food on the table. Most of the governments taxes come from these large corporations. It is you David that does not understand, sounds like you want handouts. Maybe you think your labor is worth more than what you are getting paid, probably not. Go get an education, start your own company or invent something. Then and only then will you deserve a little more. Capitalism would not exist if everyone were entitled to be a millionaire. I wonder David, if you were rich, I think you would have people working for you, probably paying them the same wages you earned. Our government spends too much of our money wastefully. Why do you think most people do not want our government involved in Health Care, because they will make layer after layer of useless rules, regulations, etc. that will need thousands of government workers to oversee it. Keep blaming the corporations David, Socialism becomes you.

Apologies to DavidReed,

My last post was meant for gregdavid!

northofaugusta,

You missed the point again. Read my post, I agree on the fact that there is no diffence in an old vehicle and a new vehicle doing damage to the roads. That is my point EXACTLY. So here is my next point, Why should the newer vehicle pay more money in excise tax? This change will put new AND old vehicles on a level playing field. Maybe you do not realize how much of a difference this tax is between new and old? Here is your statement:

"SinCity has it right by saying the point is, why should it have anything to do with the age of your car? Your car is used the same way my car is used. We should pay equal excise tax" This is what this question on the ballot is trying to do. This is why I still ask why is this so hard to understand. You see, the new vehicle owners are paying MORE for the same??? Maybe you did not understand my post. Don't forget, new car owners will not be getting a break, they will still pay MORE than someone with an older vehicle. All this is doing is stopping the highway robbery that is going on with this tax.

northofaugusta,

I read your 12:21 am post again. You seem to think you are being punished because the new cars will not pay as much in excise tax as they have been. They will still be paying more than you! So, If the president was to say he is dropping the highest tax rate from 39% to 30%, just because you are in the 20% you would think you are being punished? This is the same exact thing. Maybe the president realized he was screwing the 39% bracket, just like the new car owners are getting screwed.

You go from saying why should the new vehicle owners get a break, to saying both vehicles are the same. SinCity was pointing this out exactly, just what I said, and you quoted him/her saying this is what you meant also????? This is why I think you are confused over all of this. Remember, you will still pay LESS than the new vehicles, isn't that simple enough?

Dear MOVETHEN: I never said a passenger truck does more damage than a pasenger vehicle at least not that simply. #1 I am n engineer so if you want to get into the finer details I am so up for it. As to road damge, it all depnds on weight and also how that weight is distrubuted as well as to how the vehicle is driven and/or loaded and all that jazz. But my proposal is complex enough so it would have to be based purely on weight, annual mileage, MPG, emmisions ans whatnot. But I;m sure charts could be made to get pretty damn good number based on individual info that can be culled on eachg and every one of us off the internet. But that is far too big brother for me and the data I propose using is for a car is easily available and the mileage is already reported to the DMV every year as it is. And insureance sompnies seem to be able to work out the numbers they charge by person and by the car so why not gov't too? Riddle.

The tax structure has to do with the way capital equipment is generally taxed, over a 5 year period. So really the min in year 5 and therafte is the minimal excise tax but the majority is paid in the first 4 years. But that is also when the car value drops the most so it is in order with the value of the car during that period. So how about no excise tax after year 5 and thne the entire lifetime tax on a car paid in years one through 5 and just the same amount each of tbose 5 years.

MOVETHEN,

RE 6:13,

this guys an engineer!

you think we ought to let him know what we do for a living?

NORTH OF AUGUSTA,

50% of the miles I put on my truck are on private dirt roads that I pay out of pocket money to for upkeep, so the mileage thing is out the window.

solution is pretty simple, straight tax across the board for everyone each year, no matter what the age of your vehicle.

if they can't get rid of it all together, at least they can redistribute the burden.

northofaugusta

believe me, I wouldn't mind the mileage thing, I only put about 5K miles a year on my vehicle.

GregDavid,

You have it all wrong you engineer you. This is NOT any type of Value tax. Do you even know how this tax came about, and it was supposed to be temporary. So no, you are wrong on so many fronts. If this is truly about use and road tear, then why would you suggest all the tax be paid in the first 5 years? It is because you do not understand the purpose of this tax. There are Value added taxes in our society, this is not supposed to be one of them. So, what is your point exactly you smart engineer???

movethen:

Chill Dude! Death and taxes 'till you die! Deal with it!

I looked up excise tax long before my last post, so I know exactly (by definiton) what it is and it is not, and how our automotive one here in Maine is and is not used/expended/expensed properly.

Ergo: My real point in my last post that you last replied to was that it should be an exercise tax, not an excise tax (something I made clear in my 1st post).

Furthermore, as will all taxation, it should also be progressive in form, as in cost those who can least afford it the least and those that can most afford it the most. And even those on the right generally agree with a progressive tax system, they just want to make it less and less progressive (it was once nearly twice as progressive as it is now not but 30 years ago). And those on my side of the aisle want to try to restore the much better and far more progessive system we once had (but those on the right pretend as thoyugh today we have the highest rate of taxation ever in our history and that that is the problem, not that we have instead so starved gov't that it can hardly even keep our roads and bridges safe and sound anymore).

That said, all I was trying to get at is that be it progressive or not, it should also, as best as possible, reflect the real world use and/or effect of the vehicles purchased and used by those who purchase and use them. And I am also a strong proponent of a direct tax and spend system where such a tax can only be used towards the things the tax was 100% intended to rais the money for, like roads and the design, development and implemetation of cleaner more effcient transpoirtaion sytems and infrastructure.

Its ALL part of the equation to finally having some sanity and good sense in taxation and government spending, the sort of sanity that flew the coop very long ago in the US of A. So please, do not take just take one point I make about some of the finer details of one particular tax out of context as it it is all know or want and the only thing that needs to be done, or that I am somehow ignorant of the forest while I try to save the bark one of the trees. Nothing could be further from the truth. I want holistic and wholesale change in Gov't Spending and Taxation but as with all things, the devil is in the detail and unless you are willing to try to work out many of the finest of details too, then no real change is ever possible.

My 5 year suggestion was just to be the same as capital equipment taxes to simplify accounting. Businesses use capital equipment for far longer than 5 years but the tax (or at least depreciation to nil) on them is generally amortized over the 1st 5 years. And if you read what I wrote again more carefully, that was just one alternative I was proposing. I really think the true cost of the car to us all for its lifetime be calculated (not even including its use) and just a the majority be collected in the first few years (so as to be paid by the person who put it on the road) and then in the out years no more than a minimal use amount be charged based very much on real use, especially since in the out years those driving cars 5, 10 and 15 years old (or my 20+) can barely afford the pieces of junk they have and no other option but to drive it as is. But give the working man some real wages, so he can afford to not drive such old cars, then I might just chanage my tune. But as long as only those with the uber-bucks can afford to buy new, and most can barely afford to buy used I see no other better option that to tax them big and tax them early!

Everyone, Please say SOCIALISM!! Anyway, without arguing anymore on another tax, this is going to pass as it should, so deal with it. Other states do!

methoven,

I realize the amount of excise tax paid on a newer vehicle would be more than that of an older even with a 55% tax break on the newer vehicle. I have never argued that point. What I am saying is EVERY one who pays excise tax should be getting the same PERCENTAGE rate of a break. If you are personally one of the fortunate individuals who can afford to buy a $40,000 vehicle more power to you. Also, no matter what the amount of excise tax is on that vehicle I totally agree that it will be way too much. Howver, let's say that the excise tax on the $40,000 vehicle is $1,000 (which I'm sure is more than this). A 55% tax break comes out to $550. Now, let's say that the excise tax on one of my more than 6 year old vehicle is $200.00, I should also be getting a 55% break totalling $110. In other words, EVERYone gets a 55% break no matter what the age of the vehicle. This is where I was agreeing with SinCity regarding the AGE of the vehicle should not make any difference.

Now, let's say that you and I go out and purchase identical vehicles of $40,000 each. Just like SinCity, I put around 5k miles per year on my vehicle.and let's say you happen to put 25k miles on your vehicle. The comes out to 20,000 more miles of wear and tear you would be causing to the roadways. Why should I be paying the same amount of excise tax as you in this scenario? That is where the mileage based tax would be much fairer system. There could be an exemption for miles put on private roads in a similar fashion as the log haulers who operate trucks on private roads. The fact is that the vast majority of the motoring public operate on public ways.

Another option would be a flat registration fee, for each vehicle, paid directly to the Secretary of State. That agency would then remit a portion of the registration fee to each muniicipality on the first day of each fiscal year in an amount proportion to the number of vehicles registered in each of the respective municipality.

northofaugusta,

My point is this tax is too excessive. I think the tax gets to be more on the fair side as the vehicle ages, so I do not have a problem paying that amount on the older vehicles. I am not one of these people that think just because someone else gets something I don't, that is not fair. If the day ever comes that someone who owns and older vehicle purchases a new one, now he gets the benefit also. What this does is makes the tax a fair one all the way around. Why do you think this is about if he gets something I should to???? Just because you do not buy new, maybe your children or grandchildren will. I am looking at this as this tax is way to high and needs to be reduced. You seem to be looking at it as if it does not help me now, then it is not fair. Sad if you ask me.