Tony Klein, an enterprising state representative from Vermont has proposed a McMansion Tax on homes over 4000 square feet. Home buyers would pay an additional $1000 for each additional 100 square feet over 4000 total square feet.

So a 5,000 square foot home will cost an extra $10,000.

Supporters say the goal is to promote energy efficiency and to send a signal discouraging big homes that need a lot of power.

Rep. Tony Klein: “When you build something that requires the potential use of a lot of electricity, even if you don’t use the electricity our utility has to have it in their portfolio which means they have to add to their contract amounts which means it costs all of us in our rates.”

Direct taxing (and this one is rather crude) may not be the way to do it, but there should be some public disincentive to living overly large. The private disincentives - like energy costs - do not really seem to deter anyone. Yet.