CDR: Re: Voluntary Mandatory Taxes

[Tom Vogt]

Ray Dillinger wrote:
> Hmmm.  It seems unfair to slap a huge tax on something if there
> are *laws* in place requiring people to have and use it.  I'm
> thinking specifically of clothes, since you mentioned them.  Is
> clothing particularly heavily taxed?

not that I knew of. I included it for the *economic* argument - there
are other horizonal price structure items that are not heavily taxed -
food, for example.



> Since there are no laws requiring people to use gasoline/petrol,
> taxing it seems more fair to me - it at least presents people
> with a choice so they can pay up front (for an EV) or during
> the vehicle's lifetime (for taxes).  Or if they are smart and
> fortune smiles upon them they can arrange their lives so they
> don't need cars.

something similiar holds for tobacco. however, fact is that almost
nobody reduces is driving or smoking habits if prices go up. there is a
short drop in consumption, but as the shock wears off, consumption
returns to normal. we're speaking a few days, at most a week or two
here.