Tax Breaks To Stay at Home

Ga. Gov. Sonny Perdue has just signed a bill giving companies a $1200 per employee tax break if they institute a teleworking policy. I am very pleased to hear this. Just as the govenor tried to alleviate gas prices in this state after Katrina with no state taxes or stringent requirements on gas, this bill will also help lower the insatiable demand for gasoline.

With the $3/gallon mark being seen in Atlanta and its suburban areas, any measure done to curtail the exponential growth curve for gas prices is a positive. I am beginning to feel the hurt. Between Thursday and Sunday I had to fill up twice for a total of $60+ (and that is with a car that gets 25-27 mpg). My one-way commute is 49.8 miles, that equates to 498 miles per week, average. Since my tank is only 12 gallons, I fill up 1.66 times per week! Each tank is $30+, so on any given month I will spend $200-250 on gas alone, or if you prefer $2400-3000 per year on gas just to go to and from work!!!!!!

Unfortunately, though, my job is not one I can do from home. However, if companies begin instituting teleworking programs, and more professors begin podcasting their lectures, I think gas prices will respond to a slowed demand and begin to drop.

Yet, it won't be until the economy comes to a crashing halt that federal government will begin to respond, or as they call it, "come up with a comprehensive plan". Brazil though is a perfect example of energy independence. Their vehicles run off of an ethanol mixture made from sugar, a home-grown commodity, and by summer they will be totally free from OPEC and gasoline.

If they can do it we can too. Brazil is not a poor country, but by no means do they control as much wealth as the U.S., so it can be done and relatively cheaply as well. Sadly though, it has taken them from the 1970s when the Brazilian government signed the energy bill into law. I don't think we have 30 years to deal with the problem. Again, I should refer you to my previous post about GM entitled, "Offer Me Fuel Economy, Not a Stereo" from March 5, 2006.

The GM mixture is 85% ethanol, from corn, yes corn. We harvest sooo much each year that the Federal government pays farmers to not grow or sell it to market, for fear that the flood of product might crash the profit from the corn. Here's a thought...let them grow it, but use the excess as fuel for further research, though at this point GM seems to think the ethanol solution is good enough to be used in their newer vehicles and have therefore concluded their research.

So why aren't we doing it now????? Some would suggest that GW and Cheney are still reaping the benefits of earnings from gas companies. Although that may be part of it, the truth is that Congress is so full of oil company money, on both sides of the aisle, that if they act against such a large donor, they lose campaign funds necessary to keep those cushy government jobs.

Truth be told, nothing will come about unless car manufacturers see a serious decline in gas hogs, and a rise in more efficient and ethanol vehicles. At that point, and only then, will they, the manufacturers severe the ties with the oil companies and begin producing energy efficient autos.

So let the marketplace dictate the next steps. Gov. Perdue has started what will hopefully become a more commonplace occurrence, teleworking. Hopefully other states will see what happens and adopt similar measures, and soon enough we can break free from the intoxicating stranglehold oil companies have on us and our everyday lives!


The article on the new tax breaks can be found at:
http://www.ajc.com/friday/content/epaper/editions/friday/business_448445d716ec42460011.html