Living Car Free - Is it Fair to Implement Some Taxes/Fees for Car-Free Bicyclists?

[QUOTE=acroy;5742242in my case (the great state of Texas) i pay stiff property & sales taxes.[/QUOTE]

And we pay NO STATE INCOME TAX, which is another reason why I like my state. :)


-Nate

I grew up in a town where we had to register our bikes each year and attach a metal license plate (which was a smaller version of an automobile plate.) I think the town looked at this as something similar to dog licenses. We don't have bike licensing where I live now, but under the right circumstances, I wouldn't be opposed. The fees should be kept modest and the money should be earmarked for road maintenance or bike-related facilities such as multi-use paths or bike parking.

I think at this point you have it backwards. We should be doing more to promote Cycling and getting more cars off the road. So governments should be looking at incentives for cycling not taxes. Now, at some future time when bicycles are more plentiful than cars would be the time to start shifting the tax base to cyclists..

Not to be rude, but some people on this thread seem to have a backwards interpretation of taxes. Roads are public and essentially free for anyone to use, so long as they obey the traffic operating laws. Additional motor vehicle taxes are intended to internalize external costs (road damage, increased risk of dangerous accidents, etc.) just like cigarette taxes. We don't tax people for breathing air, but we add tax burdens to people that pollute it or add to a potential health problem for others.

Having cyclists pay extra road taxes or licensing fees is absurd. From what I've read on average motorists are subsidized about $3000 a year to use public roads, while cyclists essential get zilch. The reverse is actually true, cyclists (especially car-free cyclists) subsidize motorists. Those that complain that we need to pay our "fair share" have it completely backwards; I find it to be a simple selfish "standard" that cyclists must meet to use roads, which some seem to believe are "owned" by motorists. People aren't expected to buy in to use public amenities. If taxes worked that way, public schools would have to be funded by kids selling candy and magazines and libraries through bake sales or something. Just doesn't work that way.

51. yes. but its texas.

Will how about that, they actually had the forms and the stickers at the fire station. So all three of my bikes are now registered. The paper you get actually proves ownership and I if sell the bike I must sign it over to the buyer, kind of like a title. The stickers are pretty ugly though, reflective yellow. It really sticks out on my black bike.

What if a person doesn't have a car or a bike? Should he/she pay tax on his or her shoes?
Should shoes be registered with the state?

I'll save you the trouble, unless you find an old district chief your probably going to hear no. I'm a paramedic in Pasadena (which is next to Houston) and I work with a few HFD guys and they have never heard of it.

-Nate

If you are intrsested I went to Station 16 on Dunlavy and Richmond, though it took a few trips to catch them there. They were very nice and offered me a tour of the station and the trucks. But bring exact change as they have no cashier there.

I think we're getting two separate issues a little mixed up here:

A tax (or usage fee)--to raise revenue for government--to be paid on an an ongoing basis.
A registration fee--which does not raise additional revenue for government--to be paid one time, perhaps with periodic renewal costs.
For #1, I have no problem with paying my fair share of taxes, but my objections to a bike tax have already been brought up by others. That is, I don't think a bike tax is going to raise enough money to make it worthwhile. Also,it might be a disincentive to cycling, which I oppose.

For #2, I'd like to see more done to fight bike theft. I recently had a nice bike stolen, and the police told me there was no chance of recovery. I would support a registration program if it helped in recovery stolen bikes, or if it promised to deter bike theft. I would pay a small (dollar or two) fee gladly for that purpose. I would pay a larger fee IF they used the funds to pay for prevention or investigation of bike theft.

If you are intrsested I went to Station 16 on Dunlavy and Richmond, though it took a few trips to catch them there. They were very nice and offered me a tour of the station and the trucks. But bring exact change as they have no cashier there.

Yeah, Station 16 is a pretty busy station. Two ambulances, a pumper, ladder, and I think a district chief (which is why they probably had them). The guys I know work at stations that aren't in as nice areas without a district chief in their station and they looked at me like I was crazy when I asked them about those stickers.

I'm surprised that this issue hasn't been enforced as much, as you have probably seen...there are several code enforcement officers driving around in the white vans with HPD decals on them in that area and they love to write tickets.

-Nate