Q. Hi Honk: I enjoy reading your column, and I never thought that I would be writing to you, but here we go. I have an older car that I am going to sell. I believe that the state is considering issuing gas rebates for registered cars. What is the status of that plan, or should I just sell the car and be done with it?
— Richard Rubin, Irvine
A. Honk is here to give you the information you want, Richard, not to make suggestions — that kind of pressure would lead to bothersome torrents of sweat on his forehead and balding pate.
Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s proposal for a $400 gas rebate for each vehicle, up to two rebates per person, is just that — a proposal.
“The Newsom administration will meet with the (state) Legislature to negotiate the details of the proposal in the coming days,” his office said back on March 23. “Once approved through the Legislature, the first payments could begin as soon as July. …
“An average California driver spends approximately $300 in gasoline excise tax over a year,” his office says.
He wants rebates, in the form of debit cards, tied into vehicle registrations, not tax returns.
As spelled out in a trailer bill, under the current proposal the rebate would go to the owner of the vehicle as of April 6 of this year, H.D. Palmer, a deputy director in the state’s Department of Finance confirmed to Honk.
But it has become quite clear the legislative waters are rather muddy.
Some Republicans want the state’s 51-cent-a-gallon gas tax suspended, and the gas rebate handed out as well, ABC10 out of Sacramento has reported. Some Democrats have proposed $400 to each tax filer. Another proposal that has floated about in the Legulature is giving most taxpayers $200 for themselves and their dependents.
No doubt state lawmakers made other suggestions, too.
HONKIN’ UPDATE: A couple of weeks ago, as you will recall because those in Honkland are extremely bright, Honk mentioned that if you have a rental truck and want to make sure the load isn’t too heavy and is properly distributed, before going into a California Highway Patrol weigh station and possibly getting into trouble, you might want to go to a business that has a truck scale to ensure you will be OK. Honk doesn’t know much about such things, so he wasn’t going to list any such facilities. But a fine reader in Orange passed along a link to a state government website that offers a well-stocked listing: apps1.cdfa.ca.gov/publicscales. Still, as always, please, buyer beware.
HONKIN’ FACT: This is the first season that “Guardians” is splayed across the front of uniforms of Cleveland’s major-league team, replacing “Indians.” The new nickname comes from the Guardians of Traffic statues near the stadium, which since 1932 have been on the Hope Memorial Bridge. The 43-foot-high statues were to represent the progress in transportation. (Source: Sports Illustrated)
To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk
Source: Orange County Register
Be First to Comment