Eugene “Gino” DiSomma is a genius. He’s running for Governor of Nevada, and part of his platform is an idea to help fix the state’s budget woes via what he calls the Free Limit Plan. In a nutshell, it’s a way to charge people up front for what they’re already doing – namely, speeding. The concept is simplicity itself: Drivers would get their cars inspected, purchase a transponder, then pay $25 in advance for the right to drive up to 90mph for the next 24 hours.Yes, it’s crazy, but it’s our kind of crazy, and it might just work…

Also, he has an awesome G. Gordon Liddy mustache. What else do you need to know, really?

Original Press Release:

Nevada’s Free Limit Plan

Organically Generated, NO TAXES, NO BORROWING

Just give the people something that creates value and people will buy it!

Note: NV Population is approximately 2,700,000

•  Study State Assets: Land, minerals, roads, etc.

– FREE LIMIT PLAN focuses on ROADS

– Highway Patrol says: Typical unmonitored speed is about 80-85 mph

• OFFER THIS SPEED PRIVILEGE  TO THE CITIZENS

– Enriches their lives – Cars are safer – Roads are safer

– Give the People the FREEdom to purchase the privilege to drive FAST on an “as needed” basis.

• Remember the 1960’s and early 1970’s when Nevada did NOT have Speed Limits!?

– NDOT: 1.7 Million licensed drivers

• 1.8 MILLION passenger vehicles in NV

– Free Limit is the same as currently posted speed limits, nothing changes

– “PAY LIMIT” Speed privileges are allowed where posted

• Allow people to PURCHASE the PRIVILEGE to drive fast when they want or need it

– All “participating” vehicles must have an annual “State Certified Safety Inspection” and a transponder

IT IS JUST THAT SIMPLE…The FREE LIMIT PLAN… Now for the math….

By questioning numerous NV Highway Patrol Officers, I asked this question:

Question:

If there was a law that allowed people to purchase the privilege to drive fast, say up to 90 mph for $25 a day, on any given day, what percentage of drivers would do it?

Answer:

About 30 – 40%

That is about 3 or 4 out of 10 drivers! WOW! However, let us be much more conservative and lower the estimate to 10% of the drivers. (Conversely that says 90% will not be interested.) Based on my lower estimate (1 out of 10), here is the math:

10% of 1.7 Million drivers = 170,000 drivers

On any given day, at 25$ this comes to: $25 times 170,000 = $4.25 Million per day

Assume only 6 days per week we get: $25.5 Million per week

Each year this comes to: $1.3 Billion per year!!!

And this only accounts for domestic passenger vehicles! If we add tourism (about 100,000 vehicles per year) and we add commercial vehicles the story just gets better. In fact, it nearly doubles to about $2.5 to $3 BILLION per year!!!