I believe that increasing the tax on diesel fuel by 13 cents is a definite step in the wrong direction for Michigan.
I do realize that it would be incrementally phased in (steps of 7, 10 and finally 13 cents). I also realize the gravity of the current budget deficit. But increasing the tax on diesel will stifle the use of diesel vehicles, which would be detrimental in two ways:
1. Fuel consumption: diesel vehicles use 30 - 40 % less fuel than their gasoline-fueled counterparts. If we really want to reduce our dependency on foreign oil, diesel is obviously the right choice. According to officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, America could save up to 1.4 million barrels of oil per day, an amount equivalent to the oil we currently import from Saudi Arabia, if one-third of U.S. cars, pickups and SUVs were diesel-powered. Furthermore it is a proven technology: > 50% of the passenger cars on Europe are diesel, with some individual countries at 70%, that is available today.
2. Greenhouse gases: diesels have lower greenhouse gas emissions
Raising the tax on diesel would discourage the use of diesel-powered vehicles thus increasing both fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Other countries have reduced the taxes on diesel to promote these known advantages. Also, the cost of shipping goods by rail and truck will increase, making Michigan's goods even less competitive.
Vince Piacenti