LETTER: Nevada must let electric vehicles get a foothold before we tax them
I disagree with your March 22 editorial supporting a new tax on recharging electric vehicles (EVs). Why? For the same reason Congress didn’t tax early e-commerce websites — to release unbridled innovation. Apply the taxes later.
We know climate change requires transition from carbon fuels to clean energy ASAP. EVs are an important part of that change. Let’s allow volume and innovation to drive down the cost further before we slow down the transition with added taxes. Yes, someday EV drivers will need to pay for roads they use. But not yet. Congress waited 20 years to burden e-commerce with sales taxes. Nevada should do the same for EVs.
Let’s embrace the power of the private market to fix the climate problem. Incentivize the transition away from carbon fuels with a revenue-neutral, carbon-fee-and-dividend policy nationally — that is, not a net new tax. Don’t burden early solutions such as EVs with a new tax.