NJ Lawmaker Wants Fee for Electric Cars

A New Jersey state senator has turned away from a plan to tax drivers by the mile instead of at the gallon at the gas pump.

State Sen. Jim Whalen said at a hearing Monday that he was instead calling for a fee to be paid by owners of electric cars. He says the fee should be around $50 per year and would support a road fund that is largely paid for now through gasoline taxes.

The Star-Ledger (http://bit.ly/14pbpej) reports he made the change after realizing his idea of charging drivers based on how much they travel was not going to have support in the Legislature.

That plan may have been complicated to administer and could have rewarded owners of gas-guzzlers.

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