HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0589.004 2002-2004 - Page 1 of 2
Curtic Tylor
From: "Jim Anderson" <Jandersonl6(+~hotmail.com~
To: <ctylert~interpac.net>
Sent; Monday, April 12, 2004 4:01 PM
SubJ~ct: Arakakls Rational?
I question Council Chairman James Arakaki's reasoning on his proposal qt' a
vehicle weight tax increase as opposed to Mayor Kim's gas tax increase.
(Hilo Tribune-Herald 04/12104). Bode imply that there; is a source of money
from the citizens io support needed road maintenance and that this money
should come as a ucar fee.
r.,
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Mr. Arikaki believes that his proposal would be fairer because heavier cazs
and trucks cause more wear to county roads, 1 believe that most hcauy C^ ~
vehicles and trucks also have a lower miles per gallon ratio Than lighter a
vehicles. Therefore, by using more gasoline, they compensate for the
-1,
greater wear on roads.
The weight tax increase would come due once a year and it would be a large
expense at that time. Would this cause more vehicles to be on the mad with
expired weight tags because the owner did not have the larger payment on
hand? if so, this would send the police and judicial expeuses upwazd to
enforce and prosecute these violations. The owner who found it hard to pay
ti>r the higher weight fee would now be faced with a tine. If the f ne could
not be paid, the cycle would continue.
A higher gas tax would be observed daily by motorists as dray drive by any
gas station and see the pasted price. Also [he motorists would pay for this
increase a little at a time whenever they fill their tanks instead of once a
year and there would be no law ar judicial enforcement involved to escalate
the cgst of enforcing this new "tax" fee.
I tutus observed that senior and retired citizens tend to own heavier
vehicles. They usually are on fixed incomes and may drive less notes
annually so dzis proposal seems to penalize these drivers even though dtey
aze not necessarily wearing out the roads.
wonder if Mr. Arakaki's rational is to pay for the additional road
maintenance requirements by the use of a "Hidden Tax". Mayor Kim is correct
that die most equitable way to assess the user for road maintenance is by
the "open to view" gas tax. Perhaps the county council should discuss a
possible gas tax and it's amount for road maintenance and not increase the
weight tax to achieve the needed revenue.
James Anderson
702 Hueu Place
Hilo, Hi. 96720
808 969-7689 , I
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