A Formula to Reduce Number of Gas Guzzlers

The administration’s plan to increase the average gas mileage for SUVs, vans and light trucks 1.5 miles per gallon by 2007 is too little, too late (Dec. 13). Our nation’s plans to reduce dependence on foreign oil since the OPEC embargo in the ‘70s are being compromised by the increasing population of gas-guzzling SUVs and pickups.

Perhaps it is time to include these vehicles under the same federal tax formula paid by consumers for passenger cars that are classified as gas guzzlers. Since most light trucks, especially SUVs, are used for the same purposes as cars, they should be treated the same to discourage the production and purchase of these fuel-inefficient vehicles. Pickup trucks that are used for a business or farm could be exempted.

Unfortunately, I am sure that this will not happen, as the domestic manufacturers seem only able to compete with the imports by building large, oversized, relatively unsophisticated, gas-guzzling trucks.

John Neiman

Brea