Stamford Rejects Tax Exemption for Hybrid Cars

Stamford, CT voted down a tax exemption that would have allowed owners of hybrid cars, or cars that get 40+ mpg. This seems to be the pattern in CT: see how Vernon has rejected it twice and Manchester also rejected the tax exemption on hybrid cars.

Although towns and cities and CT are allowed to forgive $2,000 of the value of their property taxes for owners of hybrid cars (for Stamford, it would be $68 in actual savings), the towns can't seem to get it passed.

"I thought it was a noble idea, but buying a hybrid car is a matter of consumer choice," City Rep. Scott Mirkin said.

Despite wanting to encourage more fuel efficient cars, the town reps feel a tax exemption simply shifts the burden from one household to the next. And given the cost of hybrids, they worry they could be shifting the tax burden from the rich onto the poor.

Photo from flickr by Vaguely Artistic.