Biodieseler threatened with felony charges! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mikemover · #1 03-08-2007, 01:02 AM

A retired chemist and his wife in Illinois are being threatened with felony charges — for operating a car that runs on vegetable oil and diesel fuel.

The Decatur Herald-Review reports that two agents from the state revenue department came to the home of David and Eileen Wetzel in what one state legislator said amounted to "intimidation."

The Wetzels have been asked to post a $2,500 bond to get special licenses as fuel suppliers and receivers, even though they don't fit the state's own definitions. Eileen Wetzel calculated that the bond would cover their motor fuel tax for 51 years. And David Wetzel points out people who use hybrid vehicles are not taxed for their vehicle's electrical use.

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I knew it was only a matter of time before local, state, and/or federal governments' cronies started coming down on the biodiesel/WVO crowd for "tax evasion".

Mike

Quinn8it · #2 03-08-2007, 01:06 AM

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/illinois_man_fi.php

justinperkins · #3 03-08-2007, 01:26 AM

Big oil is losing profits (however small they are), they put pressure on government, government cracks down on the little man.

f'in bastards if you ask me, how much tax money are they wasting in pursuing this idiotic case?

#4 03-08-2007, 01:27 AM

Its about time. I've been wondering why the states have not tapped them for tax dough for so long.

justinperkins · #5 03-08-2007, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Its about time. I've been wondering why the states have not tapped them for tax dough for so long.

Yeah that's some serious dough they've been missing out on. We're getting into such a huge deficit that I guess it makes sense they're squeezing the little man eh? Yup, they could be pulling, what, like $300/year from these folks, damn that's a lot of dough.

Anything to keep the government from having to stop giving big corporations tax breaks...

spark3542 · #6 03-08-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

Its about time. I've been wondering why the states have not tapped them for tax dough for so long.

3 points to make:
1) We all need to share in paying for our roads, but we need a new way. Taxing fuel worked previously because everybody had to stop at a retail pump to get their fuel. Just like napster forced music publishers and artists to stop crying about the internet downloads that don't pay royalties, and find a new way to get your money. Kids don't go to record stores anymore, so find a new way to get your money. Stop crying that a veg oil burner didn't pay his road tax and find a new way to get your money. How about, at the yearly car inspections that most states have, multiply odometer reading since last inspection times the GVW, and send a corresponding tax bill. Eliminate the fuel taxes. That way everyone pays according to road use and the corresponding burden they put on that road. Find a new way to get your money.

2) Road tax is unrelated to fixing roads. Here in Mass, the Mass Pike has long been paid for, and tolls more than cover ongoing maintenance. Proposals to reduce or eliminate tolls at certain areas have come up on occasion, always to get shot down, and the latest one was shot down by our new governor because there would be "too much revenue lost." Those were his words. No mention of it hurting road maintenance, that has nothing to do with it. The argument that an alternative-fuel-user is trying to get out of road tax and that's the only reason they're doing it is a pretty hollow argument. I use alternative fuels to get off foreign oil dependency. If alternatives get more expensive than petroleum, I'll still use them, and then begin a new search for cheaper alternatives yet that are not petroleum, I will not throw in the towel and revert back to petroleum.

3) I'm baffled that the tone of several posts from Forced is that "Diesel Benzes were designed for diesel and no other fuels should be considered" (to paraphrase). Yet his signature is full of mods, up to and including Methanol injection. Does anyone else see the irony?

Tymbrymi · #7 03-08-2007, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

I'm baffled that the tone of several posts from Forced is that "Diesel Benzes were designed for diesel and no other fuels should be considered" (to paraphrase). Yet his signature is full of mods, up to and including Methanol injection. Does anyone else see the irony?

I think he is acting like a troll. Saying something he knows will get everyone in the discussion all riled up.

He is very knowledgeable/helpful on topics not pertaining to biodiesel though...

justinperkins · #8 03-08-2007, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tymbrymi

I think he is acting like a troll. Saying something he knows will get everyone in the discussion all riled up.

He is very knowledgeable/helpful on topics not pertaining to biodiesel though...

Yes the comment was bait for sure. I almost added a reply saying something to the effect of "don't take the bait", but then I was so pissed about the comment that I took the bait

nerys · #9 03-08-2007, 06:04 PM

SirNik84: that will not work sadly. you see that would make it an illegal tax.

First you would be paying it twice (since they CLEARLY would not remove the fuel tax they would want both)

But then currently its an excise tax. this means it taxes WHAT YOU USE if you do not use it you do not pay it.

To make it an apportioned tax is very different (like your state income tax)

You would then be "adding" effectively to your state tax. What happens to the person with the electric car or the person who gets 50mpg and are paying the same tax as the person who gets 8mpg with there motorhome.

They simply should not be bothering these people. as long as they are not selling is distributing the fuel they are breaking no laws and the state critters need to back off.

That would be like charging you a fine for adding some "additive" to your fuel you bought from pepboys I mean your buying 16oz less gas for that tank your sticking it to the state for 16oz of tax.

My taxes pay for the road. Accusing me of tax evasion for not paying for gasoline is like accusing someone of tax evasion for using a bicycle or for not paying ENOUGH taxes because they use a motorcycle and get 50mpg or better.

Its silly and they know it someones got a big stick up there butts and needs someone to grab that stick and twist it a bit. Wake them up.

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

Jadavis · #10 03-08-2007, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

3 points to make:
1) How about, at the yearly car inspections that most states have, multiply odometer reading since last inspection times the GVW, and send a corresponding tax bill. Eliminate the fuel taxes. That way everyone pays according to road use and the corresponding burden they put on that road. Find a new way to get your money.

What are car inspections?

This would work for me...my odometer stopped about 50,000 miles ago.

-Jim

#11 03-09-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

Yet his signature is full of mods, up to and including Methanol injection.

The key to that is the methanol is not going through my $$$ injection pump.

I'm all for mass produced B20-100. Home made fuel is what I oppose.

Jadavis · #12 03-09-2007, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForcedInduction

I'm all for mass produced B20-100. Home made fuel is what I oppose.

After what I have seen of the commercial stuff I will continue to make my own. My quality beats theirs hands down. It only takes one bad apple in the commercial bidiesel world to ruin their reputation. I know my reputation and I am responsible only to myself. I know that I won't go ahead and ship a bad batch to the end user because I AM THE END USER! It's my Mercedes it is going into and I respect my car too much to feed it crap.

I am responsablility for my own actions. Too bad the commercial guys don't take their responsabilities as seriously as I do.

(They are not all bad, but there is enough bad biodiesel being sold out there to scare me off of it.)

-Jim

aklim · #13 03-09-2007, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark3542

3 points to make:
1) How about, at the yearly car inspections that most states have, multiply odometer reading since last inspection times the GVW, and send a corresponding tax bill. Eliminate the fuel taxes. That way everyone pays according to road use and the corresponding burden they put on that road. Find a new way to get your money.

How will you ensure that they will go in and get their odometers read? What if they tell you then "Sorry, your are SOL. I am broke." Easier to collect at the pump. Look at all the people that start crying at the last minute because they owe $XXX to the IRS and cannot pay.

spark3542 · #14 03-09-2007, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Easier to collect at the pump.

Did you miss the whole point? We need to make the pump go away. If the argument is..."we can't make the pump go away because we need the tax revenue" then we'll never get off foreign oil dependency. Find a new way to collect the tax revenue.

(Of course the best solution is to reduce government spending to allow the freedom to eliminate the need for the tax revenue, but that's another conversation)

#15 03-08-2007, 07:05 AM

Can we move this thread to Open Discussion please?