Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act [Passed]

[Verily]

Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act

§1. Findings
   (a) The Carbon Tax Act shall cost the average Atlasian family an extra $36 in tax year 2008 on electricity bills, climbing to $360 annually by tax year 2017;
   (b) The Carbon Tax Act shall cost the average heating-oil-consuming Atlasian family an extra $37 in tax year 2008 on heating bills, climbing to $370 annually by tax year 2017;
   (c) The Carbon Tax, while a strong, powerful mechanism for lowering Atlasian carbon dioxide emissions, is a regressive tax that could potentially cripple lower-income taxpayers while having virtually no effect on the richest of taxpayers;
   (d) The Carbon Tax is an incentive only to those with the means to change their fuel consumption habits.  Those whose incomes place them in the lower-to-middle income tax brackets have little ability to switch to a more fuel efficient manner of home heating, install solar panels, purchase better insulating windows, and pursue similar fuel-saving ideas;
   (e) Similarly, it is a finding that those least able to pay for electricity bills and home heating fuel are also the least likely to waste fossil fuels out of an inability to afford such waste.

CHAPTER 1 - ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION RESIDENTIAL CREDIT

§11. Industry Requirements
   Beginning in the year 2008, and continuing indefinitely (or until repeal of the Carbon Tax Act), electricity providers operating within Atlasia shall send each customer currently purchasing electricity under a residential rate tier at their primary residence an end-of-year statement showing the total amount of carbon tax paid by said consumer for the year prior.

§12. Eligibility for the Carbon Tax Electricity Credit
   For the tax year 2008, all single-filing Atlasian taxpayers whose taxable income is $60,000 or less and all joint-filing tax payers whose taxable income is $120,000 or less shall be eligible for a "Carbon Tax Electricity Credit."  For the tax year 2009 and beyond, these income requirements shall be indexed to the CPI and adjusted annually for the life of the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

§13. Value of the Carbon Tax Electricity Credit
   For the tax year 2008, residential consumers found eligible in paragraph (§12) shall be able to claim an income tax credit in the amount of their yearly electricity-based Carbon Tax payments, up to $35.  This amount shall increase by $35 annually to a total of $350 by tax year 2017, at which time the credit shall make no further annual adjustments.  This credit shall expire upon the repeal of either the Carbon Tax Act or the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

CHAPTER 2 - HEATING FUEL CONSUMPTION RESIDENTIAL CREDIT

§21. Industry Requirements
   Beginning in the year 2008, and continuing indefinitely (or until repeal of the Carbon Tax Act), natural gas and diesel home heating oil providers operating within Atlasia shall send each residential customer currently purchasing natural gas or diesel home heating oil at their site of primary residence an end-of-year statement showing the total amount of carbon tax paid by said consumer for the year prior.

§22. Eligibility for the Carbon Tax Heating Fuel Credit
   For the tax year 2008, all single-filing Atlasian taxpayers whose taxable income is $60,000 or less and all joint-filing tax payers whose taxable income is $120,000 or less shall be eligible for a "Carbon Tax Heating Fuel Credit."  For the tax year 2009 and beyond, these income requirements shall be indexed to the CPI and adjusted annually for the life of the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

§23. Value of the Carbon Tax Electricity Credit
   For the tax year 2008, residential consumers found eligible in paragraph (§22) shall be able to claim an income tax credit in the amount of their yearly heating-fuel-based Carbon Tax payments, up to $35.  This amount shall increase by $35 annually to a total of $350 by tax year 2017, at which time the credit shall make no further annual adjustments.  This credit shall expire upon the repeal of either the Carbon Tax Act or the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

CHAPTER 3 - SPECIAL LIMITATIONS

§31. Diesel Fuel Limitation
   The Carbon Tax exemptions shall apply only to diesel fuel used for the purposes of home heating, and shall not apply to diesel fuel purchased for any other use, including, but not limited to, on-road use.


(Sponsor: Moderate)

[Speed of Sound]

The Carbon Tax was a good idea executed worse than any other legislative plan in history. The findings are eye-opening, and show an immeadiate need for change. I support the proposed change whole-heartedly, though I may add an amendment yet to solve the problems in §1 (d) by giving re-imbursements to those of lower income who do switch fuel consumption habits. Actually, Ill do it now.

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[Verily]

The subsections are numbered using the number of their section first, which is unusual but not problematic.

[Speed of Sound]

The subsections are numbered using the number of their section first, which is unusual but not problematic.

Oh my Dave, thats such a duh. All fixed, thank you.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Holy hell!  A bill of mine hit the floor! 

I apologize for the unusual bill format—this was my first attempt at legislation, penned late last summer.

I kindly ask for a few moments' time to consider Senator Sound's amendment—I would like to read through some previous legislation to see if any of this was already covered in the recently-passed energy bill.

[Speed of Sound]

Holy hell!  A bill of mine hit the floor! 

I apologize for the unusual bill format—this was my first attempt at legislation, penned late last summer.

I kindly ask for a few moments' time to consider Senator Sound's amendment—I would like to read through some previous legislation to see if any of this was already covered in the recently-passed energy bill.

Oh no! I cant believe I didnt check there for this! Im gonna go hit the books to look as well.


EDIT: Took a look, and it isnt in the energy bill just passed. Not to say it isnt elsewhere, but it isnt there.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Holy hell!  A bill of mine hit the floor! 

I apologize for the unusual bill format—this was my first attempt at legislation, penned late last summer.

I kindly ask for a few moments' time to consider Senator Sound's amendment—I would like to read through some previous legislation to see if any of this was already covered in the recently-passed energy bill.

Oh no! I cant believe I didnt check there for this! Im gonna go hit the books to look as well.


EDIT: Took a look, and it isnt in the energy bill just passed. Not to say it isnt elsewhere, but it isnt there.

Yeah, I did the legwork myself, as well, and found that while we now require double glazed windows in all new construction, we don't offer incentves to replace existing windows.

I will accept SoS's amendment as friendly.

[Јas]

I will accept SoS's amendment as friendly.

Senators have 24 hours witihin which they may object to the adoption of Speed of Sound's amendment as a friendly amendment.

[Verily]

Twenty-four hours having elapsed, the amendment is adopted.

[Verily]

If there is no further discussion of this legislation, I will move for a final vote in twenty-four hours (or thereabouts).

[Verily]

Debate having ceased for over 24 hours, I now motion for a final vote.

[Verily]

We are now voting on the final passage of the following legislation. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.


Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act

§1. Findings
   (a) The Carbon Tax Act shall cost the average Atlasian family an extra $36 in tax year 2008 on electricity bills, climbing to $360 annually by tax year 2017;
   (b) The Carbon Tax Act shall cost the average heating-oil-consuming Atlasian family an extra $37 in tax year 2008 on heating bills, climbing to $370 annually by tax year 2017;
   (c) The Carbon Tax, while a strong, powerful mechanism for lowering Atlasian carbon dioxide emissions, is a regressive tax that could potentially cripple lower-income taxpayers while having virtually no effect on the richest of taxpayers;
   (d) The Carbon Tax is an incentive only to those with the means to change their fuel consumption habits.  Those whose incomes place them in the lower-to-middle income tax brackets have little ability to switch to a more fuel efficient manner of home heating, install solar panels, purchase better insulating windows, and pursue similar fuel-saving ideas;
   (e) Similarly, it is a finding that those least able to pay for electricity bills and home heating fuel are also the least likely to waste fossil fuels out of an inability to afford such waste.

CHAPTER 1 - ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION RESIDENTIAL CREDIT

§11. Industry Requirements
   Beginning in the year 2008, and continuing indefinitely (or until repeal of the Carbon Tax Act), electricity providers operating within Atlasia shall send each customer currently purchasing electricity under a residential rate tier at their primary residence an end-of-year statement showing the total amount of carbon tax paid by said consumer for the year prior.

§12. Eligibility for the Carbon Tax Electricity Credit
   For the tax year 2008, all single-filing Atlasian taxpayers whose taxable income is $60,000 or less and all joint-filing tax payers whose taxable income is $120,000 or less shall be eligible for a "Carbon Tax Electricity Credit."  For the tax year 2009 and beyond, these income requirements shall be indexed to the CPI and adjusted annually for the life of the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

§13. Value of the Carbon Tax Electricity Credit
   For the tax year 2008, residential consumers found eligible in paragraph (§12) shall be able to claim an income tax credit in the amount of their yearly electricity-based Carbon Tax payments, up to $35.  This amount shall increase by $35 annually to a total of $350 by tax year 2017, at which time the credit shall make no further annual adjustments.  This credit shall expire upon the repeal of either the Carbon Tax Act or the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

CHAPTER 2 - HEATING FUEL CONSUMPTION RESIDENTIAL CREDIT

§21. Industry Requirements
   Beginning in the year 2008, and continuing indefinitely (or until repeal of the Carbon Tax Act), natural gas and diesel home heating oil providers operating within Atlasia shall send each residential customer currently purchasing natural gas or diesel home heating oil at their site of primary residence an end-of-year statement showing the total amount of carbon tax paid by said consumer for the year prior.

§22. Eligibility for the Carbon Tax Heating Fuel Credit
   For the tax year 2008, all single-filing Atlasian taxpayers whose taxable income is $60,000 or less and all joint-filing tax payers whose taxable income is $120,000 or less shall be eligible for a "Carbon Tax Heating Fuel Credit."  For the tax year 2009 and beyond, these income requirements shall be indexed to the CPI and adjusted annually for the life of the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

§23. Value of the Carbon Tax Electricity Credit
   For the tax year 2008, residential consumers found eligible in paragraph (§22) shall be able to claim an income tax credit in the amount of their yearly heating-fuel-based Carbon Tax payments, up to $35.  This amount shall increase by $35 annually to a total of $350 by tax year 2017, at which time the credit shall make no further annual adjustments.  This credit shall expire upon the repeal of either the Carbon Tax Act or the Carbon Tax Residential Relief Act.

CHAPTER 3 - FUEL EFFICIENCY RE-IMBURSEMENT

§31. Re-Imbursement
    All households who make $60,000 per adult or less are eligible for a re-imbursement on purchases on carbon use reducers.

§32. Carbon Use Reducers
    Purchases that count as carbon reducers are as follows: sun panels, non-fossil fuel heating, government certified insulated windows, and any other purchase approved by the government.

§33. Value of Re-Imbursement
    The re-imbursement will be worth 33% on solar panels, government certified insulated windows, and any other purchases approved for this re-imbursement by the government for this re-imbursement. The re-imbursement will be worth 10% on non-fossil fuels and any other purchases approved by the government for this re-imbursement. The government may approve re-imbursements of other values for other purchases; these re-imbursements may not exceed 50%.

CHAPTER 4 - SPECIAL LIMITATIONS

§41. Diesel Fuel Limitation
   The Carbon Tax exemptions shall apply only to diesel fuel used for the purposes of home heating, and shall not apply to diesel fuel purchased for any other use, including, but not limited to, on-road use.


Aye

[Speed of Sound]

Aye

[afleitch]

Aye

[Ebowed]

Abstain

[Jake]

Aye

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Aye.

[Speed of Sound]

Abstain

If I may ask, why exactly are abstaining? Just curious.

[Verily]

This legislation has enough votes to pass. Senators have twenty-four hours to change their votes.

[Sam Spade]

Sure, why not.  It's not real money anyways.

[Bacon King]

Aye.

[Ebowed]

Abstain

If I may ask, why exactly are abstaining? Just curious.

I don't like the idea of 'tax credits', nor am I happy about doubling the cost of the Carbon Tax by having the government pay the taxes back to its citizens- it would be cheaper/more efficient for the government to simply pay our carbon taxes for us (but I am also aware that, simply due to being unable to think of an alternative, I have provided similar propositions in my own environmental bills).

I don't know, I don't feel very educated about the subject, so I didn't mount any sort of strong opposition, but I felt that the approval didn't need to be unanimous...

[Verily]

Result on Final Passage
Aye: 7 (Verily; Speed of Sound; Afleitch; Jake; Moderate; Sam Spade; Bacon King)
Nay: 0
Abstain [Voted]: 1 (Ebowed)
Abstain [Didn't vote]: 2 (Friz; Sensei)

With seven in favor, this legislation has passed and is now presented to the President for his signature.

[Sensei]

aye ftr

[Colin]

X Colin Wixted