Massachusetts bill would tax ‘gas guzzlers’ and discount hybrids

SEMA Action Network legislative update:

Massachusetts Bill to Tax “Gas Guzzlers” On the Move

In a misguided attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, legislation (H.B. 253) was approved by the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture to establish a progressive purchase surcharge for some new motor vehicles based on state calculations of carbon emissions. Depending on the vehicle purchased, this surcharge could require owners to pay up to 10 percent of the price of the vehicle and would take effect July 1, 2013. Vehicles purchased by state residents outside the state would be similarly taxed. Funds collected under the program would be used in part to fund rebates for the purchase of such vehicles as hybrids and electric cars. If this effort is successful, the effects on your ability to purchase the vehicle of your choice, not to mention vehicle safety, will be dramatic. The bill has now been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means for consideration.

We Urge You to Contact Members of the House Committee on Ways and Means (List Below) Immediately To Request Their Opposition to H.B. 253

H.B 253 will limit consumer choice in purchasing vehicles by making popular performance and luxury cars, as well as SUVs, light trucks and minivans, substantially more expensive to own.

H.B. 253 will potentially lead to more deaths on Massachusetts’ highways as higher taxes on larger, safer vehicles forces consumers into smaller cars with higher accident fatality rates.

H.B. 253 will not conserve energy. Greenhouse gas emissions depends on a host of other factors such as total miles traveled.

H.B. 253 will do little to improve air quality. Air quality has more to do with overall vehicle maintenance than it does with owning and operating any particular class of vehicle.
DON’T DELAY! Please contact members of the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee immediately by phone or e-mail to request their opposition to H.B. 253. Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org. Thank you for your assistance.

Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means

To e-mail all members of the Massachusetts House Ways and Means Committee, copy and paste the email address block below:

Brian.Dempsey@mahouse.gov; Stephen.Kulik@mahouse.gov; Marty.Walz@mahouse.gov; Angelo.Scaccia@mahouse.gov; Thomas.Petrolati@mahouse.gov; Rep.Smitty@mahouse.gov;
Christine.Canavan@mahouse.gov; Benjamin.Swan@mahouse.gov; Geraldine.Creedon@mahouse.gov; David.Sullivan@mahouse.gov; John.Fresolo@mahouse.gov; Carl.Sciortino@mahouse.gov;
Thomas.Stanley@mahouse.gov; Joyce.Spiliotis@mahouse.gov; Angelo.Puppolo@mahouse.gov; James.Dwyer@mahouse.gov; Timothy.Madden@mahouse.gov; Michael.Brady@mahouse.gov;
Daniel.Webster@mahouse.gov; Angelo.D'Emilia@mahouse.gov Donald.Wong@mahouse.gov; Gloria.Fox@mahouse.gov; Robert.Koczera@mahouse.gov; Ann-Margaret.Ferrante@mahouse.gov;
Timothy.Toomey@mahouse.gov; Colleen.Garry@mahouse.gov; Kevin.Murphy@mahouse.gov; Ruth.Balser@mahouse.gov; Walter.Timilty@mahouse.gov; Vinny.deMacedo@mahouse.gov;
Geoff.Diehl@mahouse.gov; Shaunna.O'Connell@mahouse.gov

Rep. Brian S. Dempsey
Phone: 617-722-2990
Email: Brian.Dempsey@mahouse.gov

Rep. Stephen Kulik (Vice Chair)
Phone: 617-722-2380
Email: Stephen.Kulik@mahouse.gov

Rep. Martha M. Walz (Assistant Vice Chair)
Phone: 617-722-2380
Email: Marty.Walz@mahouse.gov

Rep. Angelo M. Scaccia
Phone: 617-722-2060
Email: Angelo.Scaccia@mahouse.gov

Rep. Thomas M. Petrolati
Phone: 617-722-2255
Email: Thomas.Petrolati@mahouse.gov

Rep. Christine E. Canavan
Phone: 617-722-2575
Email: Christine.Canavan@mahouse.gov

Rep. Benjamin Swan
Phone: 617-722-2680
Email: Benjamin.Swan@mahouse.gov

Rep. Geraldine Creedon
Phone: 617-722-2305
Email: Geraldine.Creedon@mahouse.gov

Rep. David B. Sullivan
Phone: 617-722-2070
Email: David.Sullivan@mahouse.gov

Rep. John P. Fresolo
Phone: 617-722-2017
Email: John.Fresolo@mahouse.gov

Rep. Thomas M. Stanley
Phone: 617-722-2230
Email: Thomas.Stanley@mahouse.gov

Rep. Joyce A. Spiliotis
Phone: 617-722-2430
Email: Joyce.Spiliotis@mahouse.gov

Rep. Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.
Phone: 617-722-2090
Email: Angelo.Puppolo@mahouse.gov

Rep. James J. Dwyer
Phone: 617-722-2220
Email: James.Dwyer@mahouse.gov

Rep. Timothy R. Madden
Phone: 617-722-2810
Email: Timothy.Madden@mahouse.gov

Rep. Daniel K. Webster
Phone: 617-722-2487
Email: Daniel.Webster@mahouse.gov

Rep. Angelo D'Emilia
Phone: 617-722-2582
Email: Angelo.D'Emilia@mahouse.gov

Rep. Donald H. Wong
Phone: 617-722-2488
Email: Donald.Wong@mahouse.gov

Rep. Gloria L. Fox
Phone: 617-722-2810
Email: Gloria.Fox@mahouse.gov

Rep. Robert M. Koczera
Phone: 617-722-2582
Email: Robert.Koczera@mahouse.gov

Rep. Timothy J. Toomey Jr
Phone: 617-722-2380
Email: Timothy.Toomey@mahouse.gov

Rep. Colleen M. Garry
Phone: 617-722-2380
Email: Colleen.Garry@mahouse.gov

Rep. Kevin J. Murphy
Phone: 617-722-2877
Email: Kevin.Murphy@mahouse.gov

Rep. Ruth B. Balser
Phone: 617-722-2396
Email: Ruth.Balser@mahouse.gov

Rep. Walter F. Timilty
Phone: 617-722-2230
Email: Walter.Timilty@mahouse.gov

Rep. William Smitty Pignatelli
Phone: 617-722-2582
Email: Rep.Smitty@mahouse.gov

Rep. Carl M. Sciortino, Jr
Phone: 617-722-2013
Email: Carl.Sciortino@mahouse.gov

Rep. Michael D. Brady
Phone: 617-722-2230
Email: Michael.Brady@mahouse.gov

Rep. Ann-Margaret Ferrante
Phone: 617-722-2210
Email: Ann-Margaret.Ferrante@mahouse.gov

Rep. Viriato Manuel deMacedo
Phone: 617-722-2100
Email: Vinny.deMacedo@mahouse.gov

Rep. Geoffrey G. Diehl
Phone: 617-722-2810
Email: Geoff.Diehl@mahouse.gov

Rep. Shaunna O'Connell
Phone: 617-722-2305
Email: Shaunna.O'Connell@mahouse.gov