I Don't Like Using This Site To Report News, But...
DrBentonQuest
Posts: 151
in Chit-Chat
Due to the nature of how information is passed on the Internet, I was late to this one:
http://tinyurl.com/czmujq8
Washington State Rep. Ed Orcutt Says Bike Riders Pollute The Environment, Should Be Taxed
Orcutt made his comments in an email, which was posted by the Cascade bicycle club blog on Saturday. In the message, Orcutt states bike riders pollute the environment because they produce more carbon dioxide than car drivers.
The email from the lawmaker, which was written to bike shop owner Dale Carson, goes on to say that because bike riders have an "increased heart rate and respiration," the act of riding a bike "results in greater emissions of carbon dioxide from the rider."
"Since CO2 is deemed to be a greenhouse gas and a pollutant, bicyclists are actually polluting when they ride," Orcutt wrote in the message, which Carson provided to The Huffington Post on Monday.
Carson had originally written Orcutt an email arguing against a proposed 5 percent bicycle tax on bikes that cost more than $500. He said biking is good for the environment as part of his argument for why bicycle riders save taxpayers money.
In his email response, Orcutt said a bike tax makes sense because currently drivers are the ones paying for roads and for the bike lanes on them. Cyclists, on the other hand, don't pay for roads because they don't pay a gas tax "or any transportation tax," the email states.
HuffPost reached out to Orcutt's office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
The proposed bike tax would be added to the normal Washington state sales tax (6.5 percent) and local sales tax rates, which vary depending on where one lives in Washington.
In Seattle, for example, the combined local and state sales tax rate is already 9.5 percent, meaning that if the bicycle tax is implemented, people buying a bike that costs over $500 would pay a 14.5 percent tax there. For a $600 bike, that would be an extra $87.00.
As the Seattle Times notes, Washington's bike tax was part of a 10-year, $10 billion transportation package that was introduced in February by state House Democrats -- legislation that would also impose a tax on purchases of cars, trucks and gasoline. The bicycle tax is expected to raise $1 million throughout a 10-year period.
Update: In an email to constituents, Rep. Orcutt apologized for his comments that riding a bicycle contributes to pollution. "My point was that by not driving a car, a cyclist was not necessarily having a zero-carbon footprint," Orcutt said in the email, according to Reuters. "In looking back, it was not a point worthy of even mentioning so, again, I apologize."
http://tinyurl.com/czmujq8
Washington State Rep. Ed Orcutt Says Bike Riders Pollute The Environment, Should Be Taxed
Orcutt made his comments in an email, which was posted by the Cascade bicycle club blog on Saturday. In the message, Orcutt states bike riders pollute the environment because they produce more carbon dioxide than car drivers.
The email from the lawmaker, which was written to bike shop owner Dale Carson, goes on to say that because bike riders have an "increased heart rate and respiration," the act of riding a bike "results in greater emissions of carbon dioxide from the rider."
"Since CO2 is deemed to be a greenhouse gas and a pollutant, bicyclists are actually polluting when they ride," Orcutt wrote in the message, which Carson provided to The Huffington Post on Monday.
Carson had originally written Orcutt an email arguing against a proposed 5 percent bicycle tax on bikes that cost more than $500. He said biking is good for the environment as part of his argument for why bicycle riders save taxpayers money.
In his email response, Orcutt said a bike tax makes sense because currently drivers are the ones paying for roads and for the bike lanes on them. Cyclists, on the other hand, don't pay for roads because they don't pay a gas tax "or any transportation tax," the email states.
HuffPost reached out to Orcutt's office for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
The proposed bike tax would be added to the normal Washington state sales tax (6.5 percent) and local sales tax rates, which vary depending on where one lives in Washington.
In Seattle, for example, the combined local and state sales tax rate is already 9.5 percent, meaning that if the bicycle tax is implemented, people buying a bike that costs over $500 would pay a 14.5 percent tax there. For a $600 bike, that would be an extra $87.00.
As the Seattle Times notes, Washington's bike tax was part of a 10-year, $10 billion transportation package that was introduced in February by state House Democrats -- legislation that would also impose a tax on purchases of cars, trucks and gasoline. The bicycle tax is expected to raise $1 million throughout a 10-year period.
Update: In an email to constituents, Rep. Orcutt apologized for his comments that riding a bicycle contributes to pollution. "My point was that by not driving a car, a cyclist was not necessarily having a zero-carbon footprint," Orcutt said in the email, according to Reuters. "In looking back, it was not a point worthy of even mentioning so, again, I apologize."
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Replies
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I'm sorry, but this is borderline retarded behavior. I'm not going to get into political leanings and the values of an opinion, but...Jesus Christ.
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Those fcking bike riders! Polluting the environment! Screw getting healthy!
Also, who in the HELL votes for these retrograde idiots?!
Also WA fails at being hipster.0 -
What a tool! Plant life would die without co2 and I don't reckon that would be very good for the environment. Guess all the car drivers must be holding their breath on the way to work then???0
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lol! popcorn.gif0
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hahahha 'Merica.0
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WAT. Just... WAAAAAT????? I think... I think my IQ just took a 5 point hit from reading that. O_____O0
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Really? With a crappy economy and people barely getting by, this sort of stuff is what government is concerned about?
PEOPLE! STOP VOTING FOR SUCH MORONS!0 -
W. T. F.???0
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nvm.0
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Also WA fails at being hipster.
Unfortunately, there are still too many hipsters here0 -
Not to mention all the gas I pass while on a long ride if I've eaten one too many bananas beforehand. It's like a dairy on the highway!0
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What a dumb f***.0
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Bump! Next time I feel like exercising, I'm going to re-read this post so I can talk myself out of it.0
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I just....What?0
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I am probably not the first to say this, but it looks like State Rep. Orcutt is backpedaling from his earlier comments 'admitting he had no scientific evidence.'0
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Please tell me this is a joke or something... Right?
*face palm*0 -
LAME0
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I propose a tax on sex. Let's face it, sex brings up our heart rates causing us to breathe harder, releasing more carbon dioxide. How about a tax on breathing itself? Everyone could where a breathing monitor and in April could pay their breathing tax also. Maybe we could sell our unused breath credits for a little extra gas money. :laugh:0
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Runners are next.0
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Science? What is this science you speak of?
I wonder if this "genius" accounted for the amount of energy it takes to produce gasoline? Oh, and to transport it. Oh and to run the gas stations. How much CO2 is produced then, before it actually gets burned in a car engine.
The stupidity burns.0
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