Staff Reports
A majority of voters think electric vehicle drivers aren’t paying their fair share to maintain state roadways, according to new polling commissioned by the Florida Transportation Builders Association.
Road construction and maintenance are partly funded by fuel taxes, which EV drivers do not pay. According to the survey, conducted by Cygnal, nearly three-quarters (73%) of voters say EV drivers should have to pay an annual registration fee to cover lost fuel tax revenues. Nearly the same amount (72%) say it’s unfair that there isn’t a fee in place already.
“Florida builds and maintains its road through a statewide gas tax, so as more and more Floridians choose to drive electric vehicles and purchase less gas, it presents a growing problem for our state,” said Sally Patrenos, president of Floridians for Better Transportation.
“Without addressing this issue, transportation infrastructure investments in Florida will suffer. Florida voters recognize the unfairness of this current system — with electric vehicle owners benefiting from the use of roads without contributing to their expense — and clearly support Florida’s leaders taking action to ensure all drivers are paying to use and maintain the transportation infrastructure we all share.”
The Cygnal poll also found that 67% of Florida voters support using gas tax revenues to invest in transportation infrastructure, rather than for other purposes.
Further, 86% of those polled said they believe more money needs to be invested in transportation infrastructure improvements to make Florida’s roads safer and easier to use as the state’s population continues to grow and more vehicles travel on its roadways. Additionally, 75% of voters support building new highways to help alleviate traffic, improve commerce and connect regions.
“Floridians see how our state is growing, and they not only understand but strongly support investing in the transportation infrastructure needed to support that growth, ease congestion and maintain the safety of our roadways,” Patrenos said. “Until another method of collecting fees to fund infrastructure development for use of our roads is developed, we support an annual fee on vehicles that currently pay nothing.”
The Cygnal poll was conducted from Oct. 10-12. It has a sample size of 801 likely general election voters in Florida. The margin of error is +/- 3.32%.
12 comments
Richard C Russell
December 4, 2023 at 12:56 pm
The gas tax pays for highway upkeep. Electric vehicles are using public roads and thus should be sharing in the expense of maintaining them.
Earl Pitts "Political Scientist Emeritus" American
December 4, 2023 at 2:43 pm
Good afternoon America,
The EV revoultion was basically a Dook 4 Brains Leftist feel good flash in the pan moment in history. EV’s damage the enviornment in more dangourous ways than gas or desiel transport. The lithium and other raw componants are mined in the land of the Chinks and in Africa by childern who rarely live to the ripe old age of 14.
Disposal of the worn out batteties is very harmefull to the enviornment.
The political power of Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s is quickly coming to an end along with the “HEY LOOK AT ME I’M A COOL DOOK 4 BRAINS LEFTY IN AN ELECTRIC CAR” feel good lefty moment in history.
Thanks America,
EPA
*queue Loud USA Patriotic music*
*FREE BUMPER STICKER*
*I’M VOTING DESANTIS WITH EARL*
rick whitaker
December 4, 2023 at 3:39 pm
earl, once again, everything you said is wrong. you know nothing about science, so why do you comment on it. you made no mention of the new battery technology that doesn’t use lithium and is environmentally safe. what a fool you are.
Earl Pitts "Transportation Scientist Emeritus" American
December 4, 2023 at 4:26 pm
Thanks my Besty Rick,
BUT:
It’s the same old technology which the 8iden Sadministration only “GAVE” a new name too in order to fool the extreamly gulliable and low IQ Dook 4 Brains Lefty’s …. bottom line there is no “New Battery Technology”.
Thank you, glad we got that false-hood cleared up.
Earl Pitts ” Transportation Scientist Emeritus” American
rick whitaker
December 4, 2023 at 5:52 pm
earl, i’m a trained electronics technician, you’re not. being a radio clown back in the 70’s doesn’t expose you to much technology so i understand why you are so technically ignorant. i don’t drink or go to bars, so i don’t know what they talk about in those venues. if you knew how, you could research my comment and enlighten yourself about the new battery types coming out. at 82 years old, i guess you would have trouble understanding technical issues without prior training. earl, stick to what you know best, trolling and cornball humor. go suck on a sphincter.
Florida GOP. Adopts Nazi ideology
December 4, 2023 at 12:58 pm
I don’t think increasing registration for EV vehicles is the solution. What you will end up doing is deterring people from even getting EV vehicles creating a long-term problem to switch to clean energy.
This is another typical GOP based initiatives in Florida, where they are unable to think and come up with creative solutions to problems. They are non-thinkers.
Impeach Biden
December 4, 2023 at 1:12 pm
Call it a road use tax. You really think Republicans like taxes? I guess Kalifornia, Illinois, New York, Washington, Oregon are Red States then. My county here in Florida is full of displaced Democrats that vote in new taxes every chance they get.
rick whitaker
December 4, 2023 at 1:14 pm
the benefit on health and general pollution reduction is a form of payment itself. ev detractors’ remind me of carriage makers complaining about automobiles when they first came out.
Impeach Biden
December 4, 2023 at 1:17 pm
You were probably around back then. What kind of EV are you driving Rick?
rick whitaker
December 4, 2023 at 7:49 pm
impeach biden, yeah i’m old, so what. i keep up with technology news and current events, do you, of course you don’t. no i don’t have an electric car, i don’t drive enough to need one. you are a fool to imply that i must own an ev to know about them. grow up.
Dont Say FLA
December 4, 2023 at 1:24 pm
Do current EVs benefit health and reduce pollution, though? At this time, a Tesla car weighs more than twice a Camry, meaning twice as much energy is required to get the Tesla moving or turning or stopping. Does 2x the energy required, by created elsewhere at some big generator somewhere, offset the pollution for a non-EV Camry? If you’re crossing the street and get run over, you want that to be a Camry or a Tesla at 2x the weight? EVs are getting better and better, but we can’t say just yet that they’re beneficial for health or pollution.
rick whitaker
December 4, 2023 at 7:38 pm
don’t say fla, the current tesla example you spoke of is already yesterday’s news. technology is moving fast now. new battery technology is way different than the old. ev cars are going to get better and better real fast. in the past things changed slowly for many reasons, now is different. thanks for the nice reply.
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