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| Subject: Re: Couple in troble for using vegetable for vehicle , Democrat legislature tries to help | |
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Author: Duncan7 |
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Date Posted: 08:13:48 03/08/07 Thu In reply to: Bev 's message, "Couple in troble for using vegetable for vehicle , Democrat legislature tries to help" on 19:10:40 03/07/07 Wed Think you got that backwards. Sen. Frank Watson, is the republican leader of a dem controlled state. He's the one helping them out. > >href="http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2007/03/01/ >news/local_news/1021491.txt">http://www.herald-review.c >om/articles/2007/03/01/news/local_news/1021491.txt > >State makes big fuss over local couple's vegetable oil >car fuel >By HUEY FREEMAN - H&R Staff Writer >DECATUR - David and Eileen Wetzel don't get going in >the morning quite as early as they used to. > >So David Wetzel, 79, was surprised to hear a knock on >the door at their eastside home while he was still >getting dressed. > >Two men in suits were standing on his porch. > >"They showed me their badges and said they were from >the Illinois Department of Revenue," Wetzel said. "I >said, 'Come in.' Maybe I shouldn't have." > >Gary May introduced himself as a special agent. The >other man, John Egan, was introduced as his colleague. >May gave the Wetzels his card, stating that he is the >senior agent in the bureau of criminal investigations. > >"I was afraid," Eileen Wetzel said. "I came out of the >bathroom. I thought: Good God, we paid our taxes. The >check didn't bounce." > >The agents informed the Wetzels that they were >interested in their car, a 1986 Volkswagen Golf, that >David Wetzel converted to run primarily from vegetable >oil but also partly on diesel. > >Wetzel uses recycled vegetable oil, which he picks up >weekly from an organization that uses it for frying >food at its dining facility. > >"They told me I am required to have a license and am >obligated to pay a motor fuel tax," David Wetzel >recalled. "Mr. May also told me the tax would be >retroactive." > >Since the initial visit by the agents on Jan. 4, the >Wetzels have been involved in a struggle with the >Illinois Department of Revenue. The couple, who live >on a fixed budget, have been asked to post a $2,500 >bond and threatened with felony charges. > >State legislators have rallied to help the Wetzels. > >State Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville, introduced >Senate Bill 267, which would curtail government >interference regarding alternative fuels, such as >vegetable oil. A public hearing on the bill will be at >1 p.m. today in Room 400 of the state Capitol. > >"I would agree that the bond is not acceptable, $2,500 >bond," Watson said, adding that David Wetzel should be >commended for his innovative efforts. "(His car) gets >46 miles per gallon running on vegetable oil. We all >should be thinking about doing without gasoline if >we're trying to end foreign dependency. > >"I think it's inappropriate of state dollars to send >two people to Mr. Wetzel's home to do this. They could >have done with a more friendly approach. It could have >been done on the phone. To use an intimidation factor >on this - who is he harming? Two revenue agents. You'd >think there's a better use of their time," Watson said. > >The Wetzels, who plan to speak at a Senate hearing in >Springfield today, recalled how their struggle with >the revenue department unfolded. > >According to the Wetzels, May told them during his >Jan. 4 visit that they would have to pay taxes at >either the gasoline rate of 19½ cents per gallon or >the diesel rate of 21½ cents per gallon. > >A retired research chemist and food plant manager, >Wetzel produced records showing he has used 1,134.6 >gallons of vegetable oil from 2002 to 2006. At the >higher rate, the tax bill would come to $244.24. > >"That averages out to $4.07 a month," Wetzel noted, >adding he is willing to pay that bill. > >But the Wetzels would discover that the state had more >complicated and costly requirements for them to >continue to use their "veggie mobile." > >David Wetzel was told to contact a revenue official >and apply for a license as a "special fuel supplier" >and "receiver." After completing a complicated >application form designed for businesses, David Wetzel >was sent a letter directing him to send in a $2,500 >bond. > >Eileen Wetzel, a former teaching assistant, calculated >that the bond, designed to ensure that their >"business" pays its taxes, would cover the next 51 >years at their present usage rate. > >A couple of weeks later, David Wetzel received another >letter from the revenue department, stating that he >"must immediately stop operating as a special fuel >supplier and receiver until you receive special fuel >supplier and receiver licenses." > >This threatening letter stated that acting as a >supplier and receiver without a license is a Class 3 >felony. This class of felonies carries a penalty of up >to five years in prison. > >On the department of revenue's Web site, David Wetzel >discovered that the definition of special fuel >supplier includes someone who operates a plant with an >"active bulk storage capacity of not less than 30,000 >gallons." Wetzel also did not fit the definition of a >receiver, described as a person who produces, >distributes or transports fuel into the state. So >Wetzel withdrew his application to become a supplier >and receiver. > >Mike Klemens, spokesman for the department of revenue, >explained that Wetzel has to register as a supplier >because the law states that is the only way he can pay >motor fuel tax. > >But what if he is not, in fact, a supplier? Then would >he instead be exempt from paying the tax? > >"We are in the process of creating a way to simplify >the registration process and self-assess the tax," >Klemens said, adding that a rule change may be in >place by spring. > >David Wetzel wonders why hybrid cars, which rely on >electricity and gasoline, are not taxed for the >portion of travel when they are running on electrical >power. He said he wants to be treated equally by the >law. > >David Wetzel, who has been exhibiting his car at >energy fairs and universities, views state policies as >contradicting stated government aims. > >"You hear the president saying we need to reduce our >dependence on foreign oil," Wetzel said. "You hear the >governor saying that." > >State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, also plans to >support legislation favoring alternative fuels. > >"I'm disappointed that the Illinois Department of >Revenue would go after Mr. Wetzel," Flider said. "I >don't think it is a situation that merits him being >licensed and paying fees. > >"The people at the department of revenue apparently >feel they need to regulate him in some way. We want to >make sure that he is as free as he can be to use >vegetable oil. He's an example of ingenuity. Instead >of being whacked on the head, he should be encouraged." > >Huey Freeman can be reached at >hfreeman@herald-review.com or 421-6985. > > >Herald & Review/Kelly J. Huff >Decatur resident Dave Wetzel may be in hot cooking oil >with the Illinois Department of Revenue, who claim he >needs to pay $244 in back taxes for the gallons of >vegetable oil he has been running his Volkswagon car >on for the past 5 years. > > > > > Print this story | Email this story [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| Subject | Author | Date |
| We are both wrong. a rep AND a dem are supporting legislation | Bev | 10:19:00 03/08/07 Thu |
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