Self-taxation on vehicle CO2 Emmisions

Please contact:

sammy_slade@hotmail.com

if you would like more information, are interested, want to participate or want to meet up to chat about this project.

Sustainability Self-taxation Competitive Communities Initiative

We all recognize that it is urgent to change our habits relative to oil consumption so as to combat global warming,, to cut down on wars, to increase global justice, etc..We need to enact policy to change our habits. Gas prices keep rising and rising and yet we, Americans as a whole, are seemingly unwavering in our transportation habits. For the past 20 + years we have wasted a lot of energy (within the U.S. 66.6% of oil consumption is used by the transportation sector), polluted a lot, and missed a lot of potential revenue better used torward programs that could have truly benefited our society. Instead, we have created an unsustainable transportation system, not to mention, a catastrophic urban sprawl, global warming, and resource war deaths. Over the past year petroleum gasoline has risen a little less than a dollar from 1.50$ per gallon to 2.30$ per gallon today. After the Iranian revolution in the early 80’s oil prices peaked at near 3.10$ per gallon (adjusted for inflation using 2005 dollars). At this price per gallon most Americans opted for smaller more fuel efficient cars. By 2008 demand for petroleum gasoline will outstrip supply (http://www.energybulletin.net/2897.html). Fuel prices are expected to rise much beyond 3.10$ per gallon. Consequently, within the next 3 years, we will experience undeniable pressures that will push us to change our habits. As a minimum, until then, we can tax ourselves, in our fuel consumption as individuals, up to the difference between the amount that is the threshold of where we will change our transportation habits and the monthly average price of gasoline per gallon.

Proposal Audit participant’s primary vehicle mileage (odometer reading). The difference between the actual cost expenditure of gasoline, over the span of one month, and the maximum theoretic cost expenditure of gasoline per month is pooled into a fund for the group. (The theoretic threshold gasoline expenditure is calculated using the threshold price per gallon of gasoline; a price that would trigger a change in type of vehicle used.)  From this fund a percentage is taken out to use within the group as the group democratically sees fit. The rest is pooled into an inter-group fund where a percentage is given to rewared the group that least consumed or as democratically seen fit.

Funds might be used for inter-group, inter-regional, and international rewards. Percentage amounts to be allocated to various levels of community should be made less arbitrary by factoring in a reflective measure of overall contributions to CO2 emissions per capita per region, nation, and globe.

In this way we will create more palpable pressures and incentives than those we now have because of having the knowledge of what is in store for us. We will exercise our free-will independent of the dictates of the unrestrained market. We will also gather funds, that we would otherwise waste, to put torward issues we find pressing. Furthermore, we will provide grounds for inter and intra-activity between and within precincts. Finally, we will take action immediately; as it is needed.