Fined for running WMO (not me)

[clinto]

As I understand it, about 50% of the cost of a gallon of gas is the actual tax on it, which does not go to fund the infrastructure we drive on. I could be wrong, but that's what was being touted when diesel went over $4.00 a gallon last year.

Two charts and articles, one from Michigan and one from California. I assume there could be small differences state to state.

AG - Gas Prices

A close look at gasoline prices - SFGate

 

[Yohan]

Thanks for the links, clinto. If I'm reading that right, about 6% of the tax is "road tax". I wonder where the road tax is actually spent?

 

[airmech3839]

I have yet to hear back from our fuel law people in the state capital....I figure that they are unaware of what people are driving...they are concerned with the alternative fuel cars from new manufacturers....I am not sure that they are as concerned with th small percentage of us that have Blends in our tanks...they just want to catch those that are getting the off road stuff and get some extra money....I have no problem paying taxes.....I would prefer a fair tax that is flate rated across the board so that everyone pays taxes no matter what on everything they buy so that even illegal aliens and drug dealers and all those that get paid cash under the table will be paying too... but this could get political and this was just about a warning to be careful when running WMO or WVO and to check the laws in your state....

problem is the laws are not always easy to find pertaining to specific regulations on this kinda thing...some states have buried the info deep...

 

[rwbrown72]

Here is a little bit of Illinois politics.

Check it out!

State makes big fuss over local couple's vegetable oil car fuel

 

[rwbrown72]

Here is a little bit of Illinois politics.

Check it out!

State makes big fuss over local couple's vegetable oil car fuel

 

[airmech3839]

maybe you should contact that reporter and tell him there are more people like them that are behind this sort of legislation and that other states should follow suit.

just my

 

[Yohan]

You gots to pay and pay... Yeah, let's lock the old man up and throw away the key for not paying his, er... the gubment's way! The clowns that sent the letter to the old man should be locked up for meddling.

 

[tamangel]

a few years old..

Factors Affecting Gasoline Prices - Energy Explained, Your Guide To Understanding Energy

plus some FAQ's for California:

http://www.boe.ca.gov/sptaxprog/faqbio.htm

Mike

 

[southdave]

I have read this tread as it develops, Some have broach the issue but none have addressed the fact when you buy Motor oil it is taxed as gas, I belive that the state of ohio taxes this at the point of sell. Can anyone comfirm this? Is this a situation of doudle taxation? So for the Orginial Post, The man was fine, because the state could not determine where or not the diesel was taxed for road use, and the man did not have a blender permit in that state. The state has weak case here, I belive first they have prove that this was more a one time instance, and prove that diesel was off road.

 

[greenjeepster]

Must be something new. I've never heard of that.

I've had my tank checked several times but not in a MV.

It is not real new. First time I had my smoke stack swabbed was over 5 years ago. I haven't been stopped in the last year and a half, but get swabbed every time I get stopped since that first time. I guess it is like a PH test, the swab turns a color and they compare it to a color chart which tells them what type of fuel is currently or was recently run in the truck.

As I understand it, about 50% of the cost of a gallon of gas is the actual tax on it, which does not go to fund the infrastructure we drive on. I could be wrong, but that's what was being touted when diesel went over $4.00 a gallon last year.

The federal tax on diesel is 24 cents, plus local tax. So no it is not 50% of the cost unless you are counting the taxes passed onto the consumer from the refinery. The tax has not increased at at any significant rate in the last decade so when the price was around 1.15 a gallon back in 02 it wasn't taxes that caused the price to surge... It was speculation on the stock market related to the War. Basically investors thought that a war would increase demand for fuel so they bough barrels of oil driving the price per barrel up and that reciprocated to the price at the pump.

 

[Screamin' Metal]

According to the post he wasn't using non-tax offroad diesel, he was running taxed road diesel (20%). The issue is that they check the color, and it was pitch black. It has to be green to prove that there's no red dye. His State requires a blender's permit to run anything other than road diesel (that applies to anyone running WMO or waste cooking oil), which requires you to pay tax per gallon used.

This is actually law in most States, though the amount that check regularly are few. That's why some States like Oregon are considering charging folks a mileage tax, because they lose revenue for roads (which are paid for by fuel taxes) when folks are using veggie oil or have electric cars.

I believe that we're taxed enough....and that its our business if we only burn a few gallons in our trucks about every 4 monthes or so......the military does it all the time, Cummins does it in their over the road trucks......and all. Ya know....all this making law crap is about to get out of hand.....next thing we'll have to be wearing crash helments in our cars and start paying to breath air......

 

[5ton4ever]

In California, at the scales they will sometimes check for red dyed fuel. If they catch you with it the fines are HUGE. They will sometimes set up a checkpoint out in the middle of nowhere and check diesel color, even on pickups. Just another way to balance the state budget out of working guys checkbooks.

 

[ironwolf85]

Guess we should start building vehicles that fly and run off WMO,wvo etc... No road tax there!

 

[rwbrown72]

As a commercial pilot, I would like to make sure you understand that the FAA is not happy until you're not happy!

 

[jimm1009]

But, as an A&P /IA, we've upped our standards, so up yours!

I love the FAA. They send me paper, I send them paper, they send me paper, and I send them some back.
And, we get paid for all this fun!

jimm1009

 

[davesgmc]

I have an idea when/if I ever build my "5 ton Willys" project. The space between the rear frame rails is long and wide enough to put some sort of fuel storage tank. Fill the regular tank with legal diesel and use the "hidden" tank for all of your WMO/WVO and alternative fuels.

Just a thought.

wouldnt work in kansas, they pull samples from the fuel filters.

 

[airmech3839]

FAA......... wow you guys...hijack a thread or what....oooppps I said hijack....FAA will come get my A&P ticket!!!

I'm with the FAA I am here to help!!

 

[davesgmc]

i also recently bought 4 55 gal drums of kerosene from my oil supplier to run in a shop heater. they put dye in the drum when they deliver it to dye it red to deem it off road fuel. the first drum i bought thios season wasnt dyed, and i checked my invoice,,they charged me road tax on it! so when i order now, i order off road kerosene,,the driver actually opens the drum and puts in a small bottle of a very dark red dye. then i pay no road tax for running my shops heater.

as far as checking in ks,,,they ahve pulled filters before to check for dye. and if you ran off road fuel in it even a year ago,,the inside of that filter si as red as can be.

and checking for sulphur in the exhaust stack,,that aint gonna work any more, most off road diesel is now the low sulphur crap too. i cant remember the exact date of maditory switch over for all diesel to ultra low sulphur.

not sure in kansas what needs to be done if you use wvo or something other than green diesel fuel in the tank. I will ask one of my DOT guys when he comes in for an oil change ne4xt. I service thier diesel trucks at my shop.

 

[m16ty]

In TN it's kind of a grey area with running alternatve (non-taxed) fuels from what I've read. I'm not saying I've never run anything other than pump diesel in my deuce but I'm not going to post about in in a public forum .


edit- I had a long rant about fuel taxes and who should pay them. After proofreading it I feel as though I might have crossed the line with the forum rules. Out of respect for the rules I erased it. Feel free to shoot me a PM if you want to hear it.

 

[davesgmc]

and what about vehicles running cng? compressed natural gas? or propane? dont think there is fuel tax on either of those is there?

btw, ks fuel tax is $.55 per gallon and mo is $.45 per gallon. i run a service/fuel station in ks so i pay all this stuff all the time,,or at least used to,,,fuel pumps, tanks, etc will be all removed soon and we will no longer be selling fuel thanks to quik trip.