NY Times 11/17/2021 - From Electric Bikes to ‘Tree Equity,’ Biden’s Social Policy Bill Funds Niche Items

[rbeckert]

Representative Jimmy Panetta, Democrat of California and another proponent of electric bike subsidies, said the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee drafted its section of the bill, provision by provision, and no one objected to the e-bike measure, which would cover 30 percent of the cost, up to $900, to, as he put it, “put butts on bikes.”

“Once you get out there, once you start talking about benefits and once you talk to people who have tried e-bikes, they accept it and they want it,” he said. Getting the money into the bill “was easier than I expected,” he added.

Link to article. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/17/us/politics/biden-build-back-better-act.html

 

[john peck]

This sounds super, but starting when? The NYT wants me to open an account to read the item.
I just don´t feel like it to read one story. I get really tired of that sort of thing all the time from varied
interests. I am for more butts on bikes, but more concerned with an infrastructure that makes those
butts a whole lot safer.

 

[AlanDB]

Getting that bill through the Senate and on Biden's desk to sign is still a remote prospect IMO.

 

[Art Deco]

Only about a quarter of the money is earmarked towards climate issues, and the ebike credit of up to $900 is a small slice of that, so yeah, wait and see what comes out of the Senate. A quick look didn't reveal anything about bike infrastructure though.

 

[rbeckert]

Only about a quarter of the money is earmarked towards climate issues, and the ebike credit of up to $900 is a small slice of that, so yeah, wait and see what comes out of the Senate. A quick look didn't reveal anything about bike infrastructure though.

Bike infrastructure is mentioned in the just past law "Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act".
( https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684/text )


SEC. 11111. HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
``(xxvii) Roadway improvements that provide separation
between pedestrians and motor vehicles or between
bicyclists and motor vehicles, including medians,
pedestrian crossing islands, protected bike lanes, and
protected intersection features.

SEC. 11206. INCREASING SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS.
(A) to create a network of active transportation
facilities, including sidewalks, bikeways, or pedestrian and
bicycle trails, to connect neighborhoods with destinations such
as workplaces, schools, residences, businesses, recreation
areas, healthcare and child care services, or other community
activity centers;
(C) to create multiuse active transportation infrastructure
facilities, including bikeways or pedestrian and bicycle
trails, that make connections within or between communities;

 

[john peck]

Getting that bill through the Senate and on Biden's desk to sign is still a remote prospect IMO.

Ah yes, the never-ending stalemate & deadlock guarranting citizens will receive nothing of use
in a timely fashion from a bloated body best suited to infinite verbage accomplishing nothing.
Why are we paying millions to these people?

 

[Art Deco]

Ah yes, the never-ending stalemate & deadlock guarranting citizens will receive nothing of use
in a timely fashion from a bloated body best suited to infinite verbage accomplishing nothing.
Why are we paying millions to these people?

In the eternal optimists society today, @john peck ? In bike and accessible infrastructure combined, I see some chance of that making it, in bikes alone I don't think we would see anything . @rbeckert , thanks for posting the link.

 

[TomD]

Like john peck, I refuse to sign up for NYT to read, so can't comment on the article, but the following article indicates the credit is capped at $750, so presumably the 30% applies only to the first $2500.

House approves Build Back Better Act — including e-bike tax credit — which goes to Senate

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The House of Representatives on Friday morning approved the Build Back Better Act that provides billions of dollars in funding for an e-bike tax credit, bike commuter benefit, and climate and equity-enhancing infrastructure as part of the $1.75 trillion social spending...

www.bicycleretailer.com

 

[Art Deco]

I do get the ny times and in theory I can even share a few articles a month but I have no idea how to do that. Anyway, I didn't see anything with that level of detail and don't expect to until the bill goes through the Senate's sausage maker.

 

[PedalUma]

It would be great if it required 70% North American content, to incentivize the growth of domestic clean energy industry leadership. It would also be good if the product must be brick and mortar at at least one end of the transaction, ordering or pickup to incentivize local industry. This would leverage the funds. Bike shops typically have about a 30% markup, (to pay the rent and the employees who in turn spend in the community) so the consumer is in essence getting a bike for wholesale. I do retrofits. This means that imbedded carbon is recycled instead of using newly dug and burned Chinese coal to make a bike. I am currently working on an early eighties Ultegra bike. That carbon is 40 years old and now it will be locked in for another ten years.

 

[Gordon71]

So how much good does a tax credit do for those whose incomes are low enough that they don't pay taxes? You know, the folks that could use the most help.

 

[Art Deco]

They actually hit that with an earlier version of a ebike tax credit . The magic word is "refundable" ... that means you can get the credit even if you didn't earn enough to have to pay income taxes.
I learned that from a CPA, it's nothing I would have known otherwise. Will it be in the final bill ? Will it be publicized so low income buyers know about it? No clue.

 

[PedalUma]

So how much good does a tax credit do for those whose incomes are low enough that they don't pay taxes? You know, the folks that could use the most help.

We had a related problem in my county. The program paid about 50% for an electric bike under $1200 for people on food stamps. The people still could not afford them and if they could, they got a junk bike that cannot climb a hill and has parts that will not last. It was in the form of a rebate, not tax credit, so they had to come up with the money up front when presenting the voucher form to make the purchase. The prequalification process required computer literacy and patience. Bike shops also had to prequalify to participate. It ended after ten days.

 

[TomD]

Presumably the goal is to incentivize people to opt for EVs over gas powered vehicles, not necessarily make it affordable for those living on the edge. In that regard, the income phaseouts being 3x less than for cars doesn't make a lot of sense. If you want to incentivize people to opt for alt transport, but they can't afford a $50K EV, why phase out the ebike option? Almost as if they are saying, hey, if you make more money than $X, go buy a $50K EV instead of an ebike.

 

[mschwett]

Presumably the goal is to incentivize people to opt for EVs over gas powered vehicles, not necessarily make it affordable for those living on the edge. In that regard, the income phaseouts being 3x less than for cars doesn't make a lot of sense. If you want to incentivize people to opt for alt transport, but they can't afford a $50K EV, why phase out the ebike option? Almost as if they are saying, hey, if you make more money than $X, go buy a $50K EV instead of an ebike.

eBikes are a lot cheaper than cars, so the point at which it becomes a financial hardship to buy one as primary transportation is a lot lower. i don’t know what the phaseout is but it makes sense in concept.

 

[arcom]

The Democrats’ bill contains a $4.1 billion tax break for electric bicycle buyers, subsidizing 30 percent of the cost, up to $900, to help “put butts on bikes,” as one House member put it. Credit is retroactive to 2018.

 

[Gordon71]

The Democrats’ bill contains a $4.1 billion tax break for electric bicycle buyers, subsidizing 30 percent of the cost, up to $900, to help “put butts on bikes,” as one House member put it. Credit is retroactive to 2018.

Cool

 

[Gordon71]

The Democrats’ bill contains a $4.1 billion tax break for electric bicycle buyers, subsidizing 30 percent of the cost, up to $900, to help “put butts on bikes,” as one House member put it. Credit is retroactive to 2018.

Which bill? The one that's passed or the one that just went to the Senate?

 

[arcom]

The bill* that was passed in the House and is now on its way to the Senate where it faces an uphill battle In its present form.

*the $2+ trillion social enhancement bill

 

[Art Deco]

The Democrats’ bill contains a $4.1 billion tax break for electric bicycle buyers, subsidizing 30 percent of the cost, up to $900, to help “put butts on bikes,” as one House member put it. Credit is retroactive to 2018.

Thanks for that. If the credit makes it through retroactively to 2018, my Comos should qualify.
So should many of the folks on this forum that bought ebikes in the last few years, even though "our butts were already on bikes", even if mine wasn't until recently.
That would be a nice change, since I seem to have missed every tax break/incentive all my life except on my solar panels. I will probably add more solar if the incentive is available.