Simple answer: tax gas guzzlers

Re “London’s levy for sins of emission,” Column One, and “States sue over emissions curbs,” April 3

While California and other states are busy suing the Environmental Protection Agency over emission standards, the British government has found a simpler solution: a tax on high-emission vehicles.

California should follow London’s example and add a couple of thousand dollars (or more) tax on every new car or SUV that falls below a certain miles-per-gallon standard. Make it a graduated tax -- the less the mileage, the more the tax.

Then use the money collected to subsidize the purchase price of cars that get really good mileage.

It would help solve the emissions problem and the problem of depleting fossil fuels. Or is this too simple an idea to get people out of their gas-guzzling behemoths? There’s no need to sue the EPA.

Trent D. Sanders

La Canada Flintridge