What politicians and voters fail to take into account is the cost to motorists of not repairing our highways. Studies have shown that wear and tear on vehicles and reduced gas mileage due to poorly maintained roads costs each motorist between $400 and $750 per year. References:

http://www.tripnet.org/docs/Urban_Roads_PR_092210.pdf

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dlovaas/congress_take_note_deferring_r.html

I've owned 12 vehicles since 1976 (including my 1976 Honda Civic 5 speed which got 56 mpg) and I have beat the EPA fuel economy rating with all of them, usually by 10 to 20%. Only one was a hybrid, but you don't need a hybrid to recover the kinetic energy of a moving vehicle. Coasting to a stop works just as well. Brakes are highly overrated.

Sorry Nissan. I was seriously thinking about buying a Leaf next year but I live in Tucson and I'm not willing to pay $2,420 extra for a winter package that I don't need. And since I'm retired, and not in any hurry, I don't need the quick charge port.