Electrics Would Pay Fair Share Under Proposed Law
Anyone who has paid attention will recognize this as a much older model of Zero electric motorcycle.
This is not motorcycle-specific but would affect anyone who rides an electric motorcycle.
Under HB21-1205, “Electric Vehicle Road Usage Equalization Fee,” proposed by Rep. Andres Pico, Colorado would charge a fee at time of registration that “is estimated to achieve parity between the aggregate amount of motor vehicle registration fees and motor fuel excise taxes paid per vehicle by owners of plug-in electric motor vehicles and vehicles fueled by gasoline, diesel, or other special fuels and is annually adjusted for inflation.”
This makes total sense because electrics don’t pay fuel taxes but they do use the roads, with all the related wear on those roads. Now, it might hurt if you’re doing the paying because what we now spread out in pennies each time we fill our tanks would presumably be paid all at once. And if this passes there are bound to be cries of unfairness because presumably everyone would pay the same amount when in fact we all pay different amounts on fuel taxes because our mileage differs.
You would also presume that motorcycles would pay less than cars simply because motorcycles use less gas than cars and do less damage to the roads. The bill requires the state departments of revenue and transportation to form a group to study how it would be implemented. That would be the time for us who ride to make sure our voices are heard so as to ensure that we are treated fairly.
Then there are these relevant details in the bill as well. Revenue generated by the fee must be credited to the highway users tax fund (HUTF) and distributed pursuant to the existing “second stream” HUTF allocation formula as follows:
- 60% to the state highway fund;
- 22% to counties; and
- 18% to municipalities; and
- Must be used only for maintenance of existing highways, streets, and roads.
So far, this bill has only been introduced. We have no way of knowing if it will ever be passed. But we’ll keep an eye on it.
Biker Quote for Today
Why motorcycles are better than women: Motorcycles don’t have parents.
