[DaV8or]

75% opposed according to a poll I saw. What politician is going to die on that hill?

That's what they used to say in California. Things have changed here a lot. The majority of Californians that bother to show up to vote, actually like the gas tax.

 

[DaV8or]

Yep. Today we're well over 4 / gal. on Premium and I think the best deal in where I live north of Sacramento is 3.71 at Quik Stop for regular. Nice job ... having a BoltEV is definitely a Silver Bullet here as well. I think this could reach up to 4.50 a gallon.

Sadly a lot of us in Northern California won't be able to be so smug with our EVs. Our power utility, Pacific Gas and Electric is now bankrupt due to their terrible management over the years. They will be bailed out and it will be the rate payers that pay for it. They are talking about significant electricity hikes to what is already some of the most expensive electricity in the country.

 

[BoltFan]

One thing that helped alleviate the criminally high costs of PG&E's multi-tiered rate structure for us was Solar. So I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "smug". But good planning ... i.e. getting Solar to solve the PG&E rate structure and constant rate increases. (Today they announced another 474 Million increase while at the same time giving out millions in employee bonuses). Sacbee.com for reference.

Solve the CA gas debacle ... get off petroleum and drive electric. Bonus ... solar and hydro power, wind power. Just seems logical. Not smug. Hopefully, the EV thing will catch on.

BTW, this thread is not about the f*ing homeless! Start your own thread if you want to talk about that!

 

[Mister Dave]

It should be pointed out that California has a homeless problem because the homeless migrate from all over the country to be here where it doesn't freeze for half the year. They can also make more money here. It's not that California has a homeless problem and Illinois doesn't, it's America that has a homeless problem and California is the rug we sweep them under.

Because California is the only state with a temperate climate? You do a lot of voice of reason but this one.....

CalMatters has some data you might be interested in: Homeless in California—what the data reveals

Looks like you're in competition with crappy weather New York on homeless population (chart 2). I wonder why. Could it be taxes and social policies?

So to the original point I made relative to high gas taxes, NO higher gas taxes won't drive EV sales. The folks you hurt most with regressive taxation are the people who can least afford it, much less run to the dealer to buy a Chevy Bolt. What you drive, is people either out of state or onto the street if they can't escape your grip.

And the most ridiculous thing is that those who say we should raise energy prices are not the ones living on the edge of poverty already. Sure, YOU can afford higher energy prices. YOU can afford an EV. Climb down off the pedestal. Don't try to convince anyone you care until you face this basic economic reality.

You wasted billions on a bullet train to nowhere. Maybe we can house some poor folks on your train.

Sorry DaV8or, that isn't meant to pick on you. I just get tired of the $8 gas price meme, because you know, everyone has to be like me and drive an EV.

 

[SGW]

The logic that suggests we should keep gas costs low (too low to pay for infrastructure maintenance and environmental costs associated with its use) because a segment of the population can’t afford any increase is complicated.

Gas is not an inelastic commodity. We saw that in the early 2000s car sales. I admittedly haven’t seen any data correlating job loss or other economic hardship with the early 2000s gas spikes. Significant increases in gas costs WILL shift buyers to more fuel efficient vehicles/modes of transportation.

Also, in my opinion, the politicians yelling loudest against gas tax increases often care very little about what happens to the poorest among us. Just one opinion.

 

[Vertiformed]

Our governor here in Michigan is talking about a .45 cent gas tax (which will be negotiated waaaaaaay down no doubt). Gas here is $2.73 to 2.99 (depending on the day of the week). This is going to be interesting to watch. It may bode ill for us EV drivers though. My registration and license plate fees approaches $400 in the 2 yrs. I've owned my Bolt.

FWIW, the governor proposed an increase of 45 cents. We can also write that as 0.45 dollars, or $0.45. It is not 0.45 cents — there is a huge difference between 0.45 cents (about half a cent) and 45 cents (almost two quarters).

 

[redpoint5]

It's quite clear that a certain amount of homelessness is due to unpredictable and unfortunate life circumstances, and another portion is fabricated by an infrastructure that makes it easier to live more comfortably while homeless.

The places that make it most comfortable to be homeless also create the most homeless. There's a balance to strike between caring for the needs of others, and not facilitating poor life decisions.

My guess is that most homeless people are local, and don't tend to migrate long distances seeking the most pleasant weather. At least I don't imagine the majority of the Portland homeless have trekked from SoCal for the rain. They probably grew up there, or started their addictions there.

 

[DaV8or]

Because California is the only state with a temperate climate? You do a lot of voice of reason but this one.....

CalMatters has some data you might be interested in: Homeless in California—what the data reveals

Looks like you're in competition with crappy weather New York on homeless population (chart 2). I wonder why. Could it be taxes and social policies?

So to the original point I made relative to high gas taxes, NO higher gas taxes won't drive EV sales. The folks you hurt most with regressive taxation are the people who can least afford it, much less run to the dealer to buy a Chevy Bolt. What you drive, is people either out of state or onto the street if they can't escape your grip.

And the most ridiculous thing is that those who say we should raise energy prices are not the ones living on the edge of poverty already. Sure, YOU can afford higher energy prices. YOU can afford an EV. Climb down off the pedestal. Don't try to convince anyone you care until you face this basic economic reality.

You wasted billions on a bullet train to nowhere. Maybe we can house some poor folks on your train.

Sorry DaV8or, that isn't meant to pick on you. I just get tired of the $8 gas price meme, because you know, everyone has to be like me and drive an EV.

Trust me, I personally am no fan of the gas tax as I realize who it hurts most. It's poor way to get people to buy EVs IMO. I also don't believe the swindle they sell us of "infrastructure improvements".

I don't know why you keep saying "you, you, you"? I didn't do anything. I didn't vote for any of this stuff. I have been against the stupid train from the get go. I guess the assumption is that because I drive an BEV and live in California, I must vote Democrat party line. I don't.

It's best to refer to the State of California as exactly that. The State of California.

 

[drdiesel1]

It's quite clear that a certain amount of homelessness is due to unpredictable and unfortunate life circumstances, and another portion is fabricated by an infrastructure that makes it easier to live more comfortably while homeless.

The places that make it most comfortable to be homeless also create the most homeless. There's a balance to strike between caring for the needs of others, and not facilitating poor life decisions.

My guess is that most homeless people are local, and don't tend to migrate long distances seeking the most pleasant weather. At least I don't imagine the majority of the Portland homeless have trekked from SoCal for the rain. They probably grew up there, or started their addictions there.

Sanctuary city's always draw people for the handouts.
Free means come here to live on the street, no job required!

 

[Bolt Action]

An interesting read on energy policy, the environmental impact of 'green', and the nuclear bugaboo:
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/stossel-green-new-deal-nuclear

 

[drdiesel1]

Trust me, I personally am no fan of the gas tax as I realize who it hurts most. It's poor way to get people to buy EVs IMO. I also don't believe the swindle they sell us of "infrastructure improvements".

I don't know why you keep saying "you, you, you"? I didn't do anything. I didn't vote for any of this stuff. I have been against the stupid train from the get go. I guess the assumption is that because I drive an BEV and live in California, I must vote Democrat party line. I don't.

It's best to refer to the State of California as exactly that. The State of California.

Wait until they bump your registration next year. It's going up 100 bucks. This is the last
year mine will be a CA registered vehicle. Thank God! I'm making an early EXIT >

 

[DaV8or]

Wait until they bump your registration next year. It's going up 100 bucks. This is the last
year mine will be a CA registered vehicle. Thank God! I'm making an early EXIT >

Don't I know it! It's already the most expensive non-commercial vehicle I have ever owned to register. The $100 extra is going to sting for sure. Congrats on your upcoming retirement! At least I assume it's a retirement. Country living is awesome. In 6 years time when my wife and I retire, likely we will be forced to leave the state too and we were both born and raised in California.

 

[SparkE]

Don't I know it! It's already the most expensive non-commercial vehicle I have ever owned to register. The $100 extra is going to sting for sure. Congrats on your upcoming retirement! At least I assume it's a retirement. Country living is awesome. In 6 years time when my wife and I retire, likely we will be forced to leave the state too and we were both born and raised in California.

No, you won't be "forced to leave" - you may choose to leave, but that is your decision and why the state of CA is so great.

 

[SparkE]

Sanctuary city's always draw people for the handouts.
Free means come here to live on the street, no job required!

Sanctuary cities. cities. cities.

 

[DaV8or]

An interesting read on energy policy, the environmental impact of 'green', and the nuclear bugaboo:
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/stossel-green-new-deal-nuclear

It is the usual Fox hit piece on renewables and anything green, but I do 100% agree with the second half. The first half is full of the usual nonsense like-

“You have to consume 100 barrels of oil in China to make that battery pack,” he explains. “Dig up 1,000 pounds of stuff to process it. Digging is done with oil, by big machines, so we’re consuming energy to ‘save’ energy -- not a good path to go.”

As though coal just naturally percolated up through the earth and rolled itself into the firebox. As though crude oil just naturally came out of a spigot and converted to gasoline all by itself. Don't consume energy to make energy! Stupidest argument ever.

Still the second half about nuclear power is spot on IMO. The fact that America is moving away from it saddens me. It's safety record worldwide is very, very good and we can build better, safer reactors, but unfortunately there is a lot of FUD surrounding the technology preventing us from doing so. If the New Green Deal included massive investment into the next gen of nuclear rectors, I would support it, but it doesn't.

 

[DaV8or]

No, you won't be "forced to leave" - you may choose to leave, but that is your decision and why the state of CA is so great.

You're right, it's a choice, but staying on a fixed pension income is not wise unless you're going to have a huge pension. Some people's pensions and retirement funds are so small that they are indeed forced out of the state, or continue working as long as they can. In our case we could stay, but it would be financially not wise and we want to stop working and start doing what we want to do. In addition, I see the cost of living in this state going nowhere but up from here. There is nothing on the horizon to convince me that it will somehow get cheaper.

 

[drdiesel1]

Sanctuary cities. cities. cities.

Yeah, thanks for handling my typo! Feel better, now!

 

[SparkE]

You're right, it's a choice, but staying on a fixed pension income is not wise unless you're going to have a huge pension. Some people's pensions and retirement funds are so small that they are indeed forced out of the state, or continue working as long as they can. In our case we could stay, but it would be financially not wise and we want to stop working and start doing what we want to do. In addition, I see the cost of living in this state going nowhere but up from here. There is nothing on the horizon to convince me that it will somehow get cheaper.

No, they aren't "forced out of the state", and you don't need "a huge pension". Maybe staying in a high rent location like, oh, say, San Francisco or Santa Barbara, might be problematic. If for some bizarre reason you didn't buy a house years ago. But living in (say) Marysville or Susanville shouldn't be a problem. The state of California does NOT tax soc security payments, unlike many other states, so lower income people (relying on soc sec, for example) shouldn't be priced out (of anywhere except the highest rent places in the state). So you might be "forced out" of your *city* (if high rent), but not the state.

And seriously, if you didn't buy your home years ago, you should just ... well, no, I won't finish that. There are SO MANY reasons to buy, *not* doing so is just stupid. And just about anybody can buy - if you can afford rent, you can buy - you just have to put up with roommates (oh, surprise, just like if you rent!). I was famous for going on and on and on to the young hires at work about how important it was to buy *if they thought they would be living in the area for more than 2 years*.

You can't pay for the mortgage yourself? That's why you find other youngsters to whom you rent out rooms in the house you bought. People you work with, people you think you can live with. Let *them* pay the mortgage for *you*.

****, I cycled through several houses. After the first two, I didn't even sell them to "trade up" - I just rented them out after a couple of years of living there, and bought a new place. I sold off the last one about 2 years ago (and I even bought a house in 2012 because the prices were so low, taking out a mortgage on my then-paid-off-house to cover the buy-in).

 

[Mister Dave]

I don't know why you keep saying "you, you, you"?

It's a collective "you". Hope that clarifies it.

You're right, it's a choice, but staying on a fixed pension income is not wise unless you're going to have a huge pension. Some people's pensions and retirement funds are so small that they are indeed forced out of the state, or continue working as long as they can. In our case we could stay, but it would be financially not wise and we want to stop working and start doing what we want to do. In addition, I see the cost of living in this state going nowhere but up from here. There is nothing on the horizon to convince me that it will somehow get cheaper.

Made my choice at 24 years old and haven't looked back. I didn't have to leave and I didn't have to stay. I got tired of breathing crap air and fighting to keep my head above water financially. I chose to leave. I had lived elsewhere and knew there were other choices from experience. Born and raised there it might seem tougher than it is. You might feel settled there. I never did.

 

[Bolt Action]

Disclaimer: I invest in mutual funds, and have no idea whether my meager portfolio includes oil, battery, or nuclear industries. But I post the opinion as it contains thought-provoking points to consider. Sorry that there's a video which plays along with the article, but the article is what I wished to share:

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/stossel-green-new-deal-nuclear