We have previously discussed the counterproductive increases in taxes that have been implemented recently without consideration of their impact on behavior or revenue. France’s ridiculous 75 percent tax on the rich is an obvious example (now even the former French president is reportedly planning to flee the taxes for England). So is our high tax on corporations while Canada continues to lower its tax just next door. There are also reports of high earners like Tiger Woods leaving California and New York in the face of high increases. A smaller but even more moronic tax is being contemplated by Alexandria, Virginia where the city council is considering a law forcing people to register bikes so that they can be forced to pay a fee.
When most cities are trying to get people to ride bikes to reduce congestion and pollution, the Alexandria City Council will actually deter such beneficial conduct.
There is already a 25 cent registration fee on the books since 1963 but it has been wisely ignored. I can understand a voluntary registration program for theft but the tax or fee component is not a good idea. Indeed, I would not make this mandatory even as to the registration to add yet another permitting obligation on citizens.
Old Town resident Kathryn Papp had an argument in favor of the registration that only a bureaucrat would love: “Cars are registered and charged a fee. Motorcycles are registered and charged a fee. Almost every vehicle on the roadway is registered and charged a fee.” So why not bikes, scooters, and roller blades? It is a particularly bizarre argument from someone who seems to feel incomplete with the failure to require universal registration of personal items with an attendant fee. Why not just like Papp register her bikes and pay the fee?
I used to live in Old Towne as well as other parts of Alexandria. I loved my time there but the city was always a tax-heavy jurisdiction. Those taxes were often discussed by my neighbors as a reason to move out of the city. Yet, this proposal shows an almost stereotypically knee-jerk approach to taxes. The natural state for people like Papp and these council members is for things to be regulated and taxed. It even produces discomfort for people like Papp to have part of her life unregulated and untapped. Taxes are like some warm blanket of government companionship for the regulatory lonely.
This story struck a cord with me because it highlights the tendency — particularly of some liberal politicians — to treat taxes as if they occur in a vacuum with no behavioral response. People are rational actors and will conform their conduct to avoid costs or inconvenience. In this case, you have an activity which is universally viewed as beneficial to the city and the environment. The response is to now regulate and tax it. Truly bizarre.
Source: WAMU
This tax and registration of bicycles is ridiculous. They can insist on the registration and taxation bicycles but not GUNS.
There is one point that is raised in this post with which I must respectfully take issue and that is the comment about corporate taxation in the US. Corporations in the US rarely if ever pay the corporate tax rate. In fact very few large corporations pay anything close to that tax rate and many pay no taxes at all. The same corporations,at the same time that they are avoiding paying their fair share, are raking in billions of taxpayer supported grants, contracts, benefits and tax brakes. The statistics in this issue are well known. I am usually in agreement with the Professor but on the issue of corporate taxation, I am not.
idealist, Bikers are at a disadvantage in the Dallas area. It is dangerous except on designated trails. Commuting to work is nearly impossible but the city does have plans to improve things. Austin is bike friendly. I had a flock of 50 or 60 cedar waxwings in an oak tree yesterday. They were the first I have seen since last April.
SWM,
Don’t know how your system works. Ours, some 15 years old is very popular
‘BFN Nap time..
… I think it is absurd. It would mean that every parent buying a bike for their child would have to register it. -Mike S.
Precisely.
pete,
you forgot the sidewalk. it is paved by taxes and we are not registered users. Although you do have a point, I am waiting to see when I get a tattooed numer on my arm. No joke intended.
Here we have personal numbers. Essentially the first you say when contacting a service organ. Saves much search time,
“Are you the joe doe on Madison or or was it Madsen Avenue or was it street?”
Pete – as a dedicated biker (an one time bike commuter till my job location changed) I’m with you. I don’t mind paying for bike paths & lanes etc.
Jon Stokes – in the US corps like to whine about how high the rates are. They used to like to compare the US to Ireland (until their economy tanked worse than ours) where the rate is 15%. What they DON’T want to talk about is how the actual percentage paid in the US is the lowest in the industrialized world! They want to reduce the rate, keep all those lovely deductions and pay even less. Then they will whine about that also
And what Mike said.
“This story struck a cord with me because it highlights the tendency — particularly of some liberal politicians — to treat taxes as if they occur in a vacuum with no behavioral response.”
JT,
I must disagree with your statement above. Taxation such as this are not the result of “liberal” politics, but of the “no taxation” meme constructed by those such as Grover Norquist. Having made all politicians afraid to raise any income based taxes because it would be used against them, politicians of all political beliefs today use such taxes as this to raise needed revenues, that they are afraid to get by more equitable means.
This is why you see the huge increases of traffic fines, parking violations, car registrations, tolls, express lanes, hotel taxes, etc., etc. etc. These taxes somehow aren’t viewed the same way as more equitable taxation, such as graduated income taxes, by those meme creators. The result is that the tax burden in all instances fall heavily upon the lower economic classes, while providing no burden to those with high incomes. I’m sure that Tiger Woods wouldn’t mind paying $6.50 driving in an express lane to the City and watch those with lesser incomes driving to work in traffic jams.
As for this particular tax I think it is absurd. It would mean that every parent buying a bike for their child would have to register it.
Alexandria Egypt is a pirate territory. Dont go there and expect help from your own government or your embassy. Fly over and flush. What? You said Virginia not Egypt? Is that not the state where Eddie Cantor’s grandson is a Congressman? Next they will be taxing the beggar for ten percent of the take, or the aluminum can collector for ten percent of the cans, or the dog poop collector for ten percent of the dog poop. A guy in our marina uses a big shop vac to clean up our dog turds. He says that the job is quite “taxing”. I wonder what he means by that. Another time he told the Dock Master “that he could take the job and shove it.” Not “shovel” it. Some guy came around and gave out tickets for boat owners for not having license tags on their dinghys. We told him to go back to Alexandria. While he was out on the docks we peed on his tires.
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/12366/alexandria-joins-capital-bikeshare/ It seems like Alexandria will use the money for Capital Bikeshare, a desirable program. Biking to work is really catching on. DC does have the metro but the car traffic is awful so I see why improving biking conditions is advantageous. Copenhagen has bike lines as wide as auto lines. The US and its relationship with the car is changing and a lot of people prefer the bike to the car. I know my son does.
swarthmore mom-
casino money was to go to education.
the devil is in the detail.
once they receive, they distribute as they wish.
(If you drive a car ), I’ll tax the street,
(If you try to sit ), I’ll tax your seat,
(If you get too cold ), I’ll tax the heat,
(If you take a walk ), I’ll tax your feet
Our country has become Dante’s Inferno w/ different levels of tax hell depending on where you live. The more liberal, the deeper level.
Did you really mention “high corporate tax rate” after this last election season? The corporate tax rate is up there around 39% or so… After utilizing all the available loopholes, some of our larger corporations end up getting money from the US. Verizon for example. If there is a corporation out there that pays the full corporate tax rate, everyone in the finance dept should be fired.
There has been similar argument regarding electric cars and the lack of contribution to revenue. They avoid gas taxes at the pump but they use the highway.
CAFR Fund investments yield lots of money. Yes, they take the citizens dollars and make money — Lots of money!
Pete,
I see your point….. But there is something inherently absurd to taxing all bicycles….. It’s just another bite for the state corporation to raise revenue…..now, if they are engage in profit…. Then by all means…..
Considering the benefits to the community including low carbon foot print, reduced pollution and adding to walkable neighborhoods, perhaps bikes should be subsidized.
And what, exactly, is the benefit to the community for compulsory registration?
Some might want to register their bikes, voluntarily, as an aid to recovery in case the bike is stolen.
Registering and taxing bikes is not a progressive proposal – actually, the opposite.
It would seem that this is a proposal that both the left and the right can unite against.
Whether you want smaller, less intrusive government, or if you just understand that it is really, really dumb to tax behavior that should be encouraged, this is a proposal that deserves rejection – by everyone.
those bike paths aren’t going to pave themselves. also make it easier to recover stolen bikes.
Much ado about nothing.