[Greenbuilding] ending mortgage tax deduction for houses >3, 000 square feet...

[Reuben Deumling]

Food for thought.

Reuben Deumling
Dingell's plan puts pinch on big houses Climate push ends mortgage tax
deduction, adds gas tax

August 8, 2007

BY TINA LAM

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

Powerful U.S. Rep. John Dingell revealed Tuesday new details of his plan to
cut global warming, including adding a 50-cents-a-gallon tax on gasoline and
ending the mortgage tax deduction on what he called "McMansions," homes
larger than 3,000 square feet.

Dingell, the auto industry's staunchest defender in Washington, D.C., but a
legislator who also has a strong environmental record, is faced with what he
called the most difficult battle of his career, trying to persuade the
country to accept fixes for greenhouse gases that will be unpopular and
painful to people's wallets.

As chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Dingell, a Dearborn
Democrat, will be one of the handful of people who will attempt to guide
Congress as it grapples with climate-change bills over the next couple of
years. His committee will handle all global-warming legislation.

Dingell said at a town hall meeting in Ann Arbor that he plans to propose a
multi-pronged bill Sept. 1 when Congress reconvenes. He will ask for an
economy-wide tax of about $100 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions, as well
as the gas tax. Dingell's mention of "McMansions" and his call to take away
the mortgage interest deduction for large homes, which use more energy than
smaller ones, drew applause and a few cheers.

Also, Dingell will ask for a cap-and-trade system, with caps on carbon
emissions that companies can trade, and extra funding for research on
renewable energy. "These are all new ideas. I know I'm going to catch hell
for them," he said. But, he said, "if we are serious about global warming,
we need to reduce consumption by making it more expensive. We need to do
things that are difficult, costly and will require sacrifice from all of
us."

Thomas Morley, vice chairman of the Water Quality Board in Macomb
County,did not attend the meeting at
Pioneer High School, but said he can see potential benefits to adding taxes
on gas and carbon emissions. However, he said he couldn't grasp the idea
behind taking away the mortgage deduction on large houses. "At first blush,
without knowing more about what he's trying to accomplish, I'd say I'm not
fond of the idea," said Morley, whose Harrison Township house is slightly
more than 3,000 square feet.

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