Cut fuel consumption in the passenger car fleet? Simple. Tax on all cars, regardless of age, as follows: Tax = $100 X (Weight/3000#) ^ 2.

A 3,000* car pays $100, 6,000# car pays $400, and a 9,000 # car pays $900.


Need a harder press on the brake?

Tax on all cars, regardless of age, as follows: Tax = ($100 X (Weight/3000#) ^ 2.5).

Now a 3,000 # car pays the same $100. But! the 6,000# car pays just under $600; the 9,000# vehicle pays just under $1,600.

Why go after the weight? Because the weight is a major factor in fuel consumption and downsizing the fleet may have less of an impact on lower income households.