Pay per mile tax?

[michchick98]

"Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood is considering a transportation tax based on miles driven, to replace gasoline tax revenue. “We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled,” La Hood tells the Freep, echoing proposals being considered by Oregon, Idaho, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and North Carolina."

Read the full story here:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/transportation-secretary-considers-pay-per-mile-tax/

And from ABCnews.com:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/story?id=6959056&page=1

===

I don't think this is the best idea, but hell, I'm not an expert.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Green costs the government tax money.

Also, people are driving a lot less, so I'm not sure how they figure they'll make money from mileage.

 

[DesertPirate]

The only possible way to enforce it would be with GPS. The chance of that being misused is obvious. A Govt agency that can tell where your vehicle is every moment? Without a warrant? Not a chance in hell!

There would be a hack out within 48 hours of the first device being leaked. My car would claim to be Pelosi's

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

DP

Naah. They'll get the tax at tag renewal time. They'll estimate your useage. Check your insurance, etc.

 

[michchick98]

Myself, I think the whole concept is asinine. People are already driving less because of the outrageous gas prices over the summer. They've become accustomed to carpooling or whatever.

Yeah, it'll cost less to fill your tank, but if you wanna take a trip somewhere, on top of paying for gas and accommodations, you'll have to pay for mileage, too?

My dad and I were talking about this and he suggested just raising the taxes on cigarettes and alcohol some more. Yeah, that's good too, but the higher the price, the more people who won't keep paying, so keep raising the tax, more people will stop smoking and drinking, keep raising the tax, more people will stop drinking and smoking...well you get the idea.

I think the states that are really hurting for money could have a simpler solution by simply raising their state sales tax. There's a few states that don't have any sales tax (Oregon and Alaska are two that I recall) so if they're having money issues, why not institute a state sales tax?

Or better still, and yes, I know I'm friggin' crazy, just abolish ALL state sales tax and have a FEDERAL sales tax...make it the same for every state and obviously that money could go back to the state.

Here in Michigan (and I know most states are the same), we don't pay sales tax on groceries, maybe they could implement a sales tax on that. Sure, it'd be a pain in the ass, and people would bitch, but everyone needs groceries, so eventually we'd learn to adjust, just like we did over the summer with the outrageous gas prices.

Okay, I'm done now. You can all roll your eyes and tell me I've completely lost my mind.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Legalise pot. Tax it.

A lucrative replacement crop for our embattled tobacco farmers, less money flying away to other countries. And even with a sales tax, it'sll be cheaper for the consumers than the prices that are driven up by the War on drugs.

Win win winny-win.

 

[DesertPirate]

Legalise pot. Tax it.

A lucrative replacement crop for our embattled tobacco farmers, less money flying away to other countries. And even with a sales tax, it'sll be cheaper for the consumers than the prices that are driven up by the War on drugs.

Win win winny-win.

They won't because it's too easy to grow at home. They can't control it tight enough.
Hell there are still moonshiners around here and that's much harder to do

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Obama rejected the idea... but a recently released report said it's the best way to go.

It feels (even if it actually isn't) like a huge invasion of privacy to me.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Obama rejected the idea... but a recently released report said it's the best way to go.

It feels (even if it actually isn't) like a huge invasion of privacy to me.

There is that-- keeps track of where you travel.

Of course, the easiest way to do it would be to turn all freeways into toll roads-- not that any way would be easy! And people can qualify for poverty discount stickers, or something.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

There is that-- keeps track of where you travel.

Of course, the easiest way to do it would be to turn all freeways into toll roads-- not that any way would be easy! And people can qualify for poverty discount stickers, or something.

Not a bad idea. And converting them to toll roads would temporarily boost jobs.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Not a bad idea. And converting them to toll roads would temporarily boost jobs.

I'll do construction, as long as the weather is nice and warm....

But you know, not too warm.

 

[michchick98]

I'll do construction, as long as the weather is nice and warm....

But you know, not too warm.

Well, the state symbol here in Michigan IS the orange construction barrel.

Although if you don't like it too warm, you might not wanna come here in July or August, it gets downright stifling hot here!

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Well, the state symbol here in Michigan IS the orange construction barrel.

I thought it was our state animal.

 

[JagFarlane]

Hmmmm my issue with it...that its unfair to all those whom bought gas sipping vehicles. I kind of prefer to know that the girl with the gas guzzling V-10 Excursion has to pay a little more tax because of how much damned gas she uses up.

 

[john-the-author]

Hmmmm my issue with it...that its unfair to all those whom bought gas sipping vehicles. I kind of prefer to know that the girl with the gas guzzling V-10 Excursion has to pay a little more tax because of how much damned gas she uses up.

I agree: someone who bought a Ford 150 or a Hummer because they're trying to compensate for personal shortcomings should not pay the same as someone who drives a Saturn or a Civic or a Prius.

 

[Katyusha]

I have issues with the whole idea. Lots...and lots...of issues...with the whole idea.

 

[michchick98]

I have issues with the whole idea. Lots...and lots...of issues...with the whole idea.

Trust me, you're not alone. Let's just hope that if it does become reality, it'll be a long time coming.

 

[SeaCat]

Hmmmmm,

Interesting idea but I don't see it becoming a reality. There are too many questions to be answered.

1) How are they going to enforce this? How are they going to track the mileage?

2) How much is this going to cost to implement and where is that money going to come from?

3) How are they going to deal with the older vehicles? If they are going to use electronic tags are they going to retrofit all of the older vehicles on the road? At whos cost?

Cat

 

[amicus]

"A trifecta of Trillions', thas what the spending by the new administration has been called.

First things first. The government has no money. It all comes from you.

Spending has to be paid for by someone at sometime, either now or in the future.

If government confiscated every penny of the top five percent, it still would not even come close to paying the interest on the trillions spent, let alone the principle.

No taxes onf 95 percent of the working population, thus spake Obama.

How then will the government pay back the money they have borrowed to give away to preferred sectors of the economy?

Hidden taxes, as always and it is already beginning.

Everything you purchase will increase in price and you will wonder why.

Business and Corporations earn money by selling goods and services to you, the consuming public.

To cover their increased tax rate, they charge you more.

Every city, county, state and federal service you are required to purchase, will increase in price.

They tax agri business you pay more for staples, milk, bread, meat, even the subsidized soy bean industry.

They tax the oil companies, you pay more for energy on all levels.

Union wages and benefits above and beyond market wages, at $1500.00 to each automobile you purchase or lease.

The 'double tax' I mentioned, the billions taken from fossil fuel energy producers to susidize 'green' energy will cost you for both the subsidy and the higher price of energy as the 'green' expectations are nil, in terms of actual energy production, distribution and consumption.

You won't know why the price of everything you purchase has increased and your only choices are the ones being made currently, shop at big discount stores, Walmart and low price fast food outlets, or god forbid, actually cook at home.

Thas why token tea parties are being held nation wide.

stay tuned...it gets worse...

amicus...

edited to add as an afterthought: What can you do? Whatever you can to prevent the Unions from forcing Walmart employees to join, for one, for if that happens, McDonalds will be next on the list and the price of their menu will double with union labor.

~~~

 

[DeeZire]

What can you do?

Pay taxes without whining like a baby? This is our government. We gave Bush 8 years to run the USA into the ground, and now we're paying the price. We can either accept personal responsibility for the government we voted for, or we can act like spoiled children and stomp our feet and have temper tantrums (which is what you see every time you watch Fox News or listen to talk radio.)

In the 1950s (Ami's favorite decade) union membership was at around 30% of the workforce. Coincidentally, that was the era of the single wage earner family. Today, union membership is at an all time low, and most households require two wage earners to keep from going bankrupt. I wonder if there's a correlation?

I look at paying taxes as a form of patriotism. I mean, what's the alternative? Being anti-tax means you want the government to go bankrupt - which equals failure. In my eyes, that amounts to domestic terrorism.

 

[amicus]

Deezire: "...

Today, union membership is at an all time low,.."[/

B]

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/data-...ionization-raises-overall-rate-again-in-2008/

Jump in Public Sector Unionization Raises Overall Rate Again in 2008

January 28, 2009

By Ben Zipperer

Union membership increased significantly in 2008

, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) annual union membership report released today. The unionized share of the U.S. workforce climbed to 12.4 percent last year from 12.1 percent in 2007, an addition to union rolls of more than 420,000 members.

By comparison, union membership is almost ten times higher in Scandinavian countries. More than 80 percent of the work force in Sweden and nearly 80 percent in Denmark and Finland are unionized. Union membership in other western European countries ranges from 20 percent to 50 percent of the labor force. At only nine percent of the labor force, France has the lowest union membership of all western European nations. But its workers have been known for organizing massive strikes that garner media attention and get results.

~~~

If one were to tender the benefit of doubt, one might forgive you for an error, but I do not, you fudged numbers to make your point as you usually do.

Actually, in a televised report that I did not document, Union Labor has risen to 12.8 percent of the working force.

The remainder of your post is just a continuation of the usual left wing rant against a free society and not worth response.

Amicus...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Taxes are no license for the government to spend like drunken sailors or maniacs.

 

[amicus]

Quibbling over who drives what car and who is taxed more and why someone should be taxed more than others and why one should feel 'privileged' to pay taxes over and about Constitutionally authorized expenditures, reminds me of life in the Soviet Union as portrayed in several fictional novels.

As there are only X amount of dollars or rubles to distribute to the populace, people begin bickering that they should receive a larger share than their neighbors. Ayn Rand, in "Atlas Shrugged", has a scene that portrays this marvelously as she describes, "The 20th Century Motor Company", that imposed, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need..." philosophy upon its employees.

How much can you suck up to the next block lord before it sickens you?

Izzat really the way you want to live?

Amicus...

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

AMICUS

Is it any wonder why the politicians have such an easy time plucking these chickens? So many chickens, so little time.

 

[Weird Harold]

1) How are they going to enforce this? How are they going to track the mileage?

Most people erroneously claim that it will be tracked via GPS, but the one hint I've seen about the actual technology suggests it would be by a passive RFID circuit embedded in the registration renewal sticker you put on your license plate.

2) How much is this going to cost to implement and where is that money going to come from?

The primary cost would be a network of RFID readers and the (wireless) network connections to report RFID readings to a central computer for collation.

3) How are they going to deal with the older vehicles? If they are going to use electronic tags are they going to retrofit all of the older vehicles on the road? At whose cost?

The expense to individual car owners is going to be the cost of renewing their registratin and affixing the RFID coded sticker to the license plate.

The sticking point as far as I can see is the network of RFID sensors and the security of the connetion back to the central computer. That's going to cost far more than is projected unless the milage tax is only going to be on selected highways and streets.

Personally, I can see where something like this is going to happen in the long term, but the technology just isn't mature enough for it to be anything except a waste of tax money in the near future.