As long as have a raw tonnage multiplier, I'm okay with this.

/yes, I drive a small car with a small engine.
//cram your SUV up yer arse.

jehovahs witness protection: Um, HELL NO!!!

you must live in the bootstrappy west where you enjoy road-communism. Here in the east, we crazy social-commies use libertarian use taxes for our best roads and tunnels and bridges.

Dinki: 15,000 miles per year X .02 = $300 a year

Big woop.


If it's not a big deal then you won't mind paying mine, right?

This article is pure speculation.

rubi_con_man: jehovahs witness protection: Um, HELL NO!!!

you must live in the bootstrappy west where you enjoy road-communism. Here in the east, we crazy social-commies use libertarian use taxes for our best roads and tunnels and bridges.

The bootstrappy west? Son, I live in the bootstrappy west and I've only seen a couple of toll roads out here in Washington.

Florida, on the other hand, has toll roads out the wazzu.

Ahh, and to install the tax machine they're probably charge you for the privilege of paying taxes much like the city decal I have to pay $30 for to prove I paid my property tax. Stupid Virginia.

Dinki: 15,000 miles per year X .02 = $300 a year

Big woop.

Or maybe Subby can tell us how else we are going to pay for road maintenance.

How about there is already a sizeable gas tax that you pay at the pump. The fees to register your car. The tolls you pay. The parking meter fees. While I rely primarily on public transportation and this doesn't really affect me, I think Congress should pick another source to drum up revenue rather than the aleady tapped out lower and middle classes.

Disgruntled Goat: This article is pure speculation.

Exactly. This notion rolls through congress every session, just like making English the official language and reinstating the draft. And every year, it goes nowhere. And every year, some idiot thinks the suggestion indicates the inevitable, and writes an article about the fact that someone, somewhere expressed the idea out loud.

Subby owes me the time it took to type this.

this is idiotic. Just raise the fuel tax!!

People getting more fuel efficient cars is not the PROBLEM it's the SOLUTION! Don't make people who get more fuel efficient cars to pay more!

This sounds like another big push by the oil lobby!

The article is speculation; but if implimented, it can affect settlement patterns over the long haul. I know the big cities' advocates desire people to move back to urban areas (remember that "Little Boxes" song by Malvina Reynolds so nauseatingly repeated), but let's face it: too many urban areas are dangerous and disgusting to actually live unless you're preternaturally affluent.

People are willing to travel moderate distances because it gives them a certain level of comfort. They're also inclined to be independent.

They just need to increase the gas tax. If the gas tax doesn't already apply to CNG, e85, and e100, it should.

There will be no need for per-mile taxes until full electrics start showing up en masse, which is to say never.

Also I don't like the idea of the government keeping tabs on where everyone drives every day.

But I bet the "small government" right wingers will not care about this big brother intrusion because Big Oil wants it!

And what Big Oil wants Big Oil gets!

Okay then, I will disable my odometer.

eViLpOpTaRt: The article is speculation;

Actually Hummer driving Arnold Schwarzenegger tried to get it passed in CA but it failed.

So it's not that much speculation. Also probably politicians had them float this to start having people get ready about the idea so it will be easier for them to pass it later.

rubi_con_man: As long as have a raw tonnage multiplier, I'm okay with this.

/yes, I drive a small car with a small engine.
//cram your SUV up yer arse.

Of course you are. Most earth farkers like yourself don't actually give a shiat about the planet - they just want to fark someone else over. It's a religion for the atheist set.

When you figure in other factors like what it already costs per mile in fuel, maintenance, tires, brakes, etc., a 2 cent increase isn't much of a difference.

Dinki: 15,000 miles per year X .02 = $300 a year

Big woop.

Or maybe Subby can tell us how else we are going to pay for road maintenance.

Really?? We already pay 36 cents on the gallon to the State to help cover that and 18 cents to the feds.

At least we do in California where they even tax the air you take into your lungs.

Where does this farken shiat stop!?

rubi_con_man: you must live in the bootstrappy west where you enjoy road-communism.

no retard we just pay higher fuel taxes.

WorldCitizen: 2) They REPLACE the gas tax with this instead of adding it in addition to the gas tax.

Replace a tax with another tax? that'll be the day. This will be in ADDITION to the gas tax and the wheel tax and the oil tax and the sales tax and...

Corvus: Also I don't like the idea of the government keeping tabs on where everyone drives every day.

But I bet the "small government" right wingers will not care about this big brother intrusion because Big Oil wants it!

And what Big Oil wants Big Oil gets!

How in the hell did you come to the conclusion that this is being sought by the oil companies?

Taxing gas: x cents per gallon pumped.

Taxing mileage: y cents per mile driven + the government tracks your every move + "jobs" created by the company building the GPS devices + data used from tracking goes to companies so they can effectively sell you more Chinese made shiat you don't need.

Heh. I'd love to see reaction to mandatory installation of tracking devices.

/is this where I print "ron paul" in caps?

Corvus: This sounds like another big push by the oil lobby!

Like most environmentalists, you don't realize that conservation actually works against you, primarily because you people don't like to do any real research. You are literally your own worst enemy. Google "conserve water, raise rates" and you'll get hundreds of examples of this. (new window)

Why the hell is the author ranting on and on about GPS satelite monitoring etc?

Pro tip: Cars have this federally mandated thing called an emissions computer. It already records your mileage electronically and is downloaded by your local state government every time you get a state inspection (if your state does inspections). All they would really have to do is expand the systems already in place.

Road taxes are kind of bullshiat though... you keep hearing about how we dont have the money to keep up with bridges etc, but they repave the rural highway that runs by my house every single year even though it is in perfect condition, because they operate on one of the governments "Use it or lose it" budgets. If they dont spend all their money one year, they get less next... so they just keep repaving the damn thing endlessly.

/farking government.

WorldCitizen: They're still using the roads which damages the roads. Any use causes wear and tear regardless of if it's a Prius or an all combustion engine car. Also, you out there driving around in your fuel efficient car still takes up space and causes congestion which causes more roads needing to be built.

sure. so I should be penalized because my car goes father on 1 gallon of gas and should pay more for that 1 gallon of gas in taxes than someone with a hummer?

They are starting at 2 cents but you want to bet if they get that the oil lobby will move all the taxes over which means the more MPG you get the more taxes you pay. People with more efficient cars will be tax MORE per gallon than someone with less MPG. Does that make sense to you?

Should we be taxing people MORE for having fuel efficient cars? That's what would happen.

3 letters:
GPS

Oh hell no!

1. Simply reading the odometer does not work. State gas taxes can't tax you for miles you drive in another state. So they must know where you drive to tax appropriately.

Oh hell no!

2. Taxing per mile actually benefits drivers of large vehicles. A Hummer does more damage (read maintenance costs) to the road than a Prius. But charged per mile, they pay the same.

Oh hell no!

3. When/if this ever comes to pass, it will be done in some stupidly complex and expensive way, siphoning off many of the expected revenue into the pockets of whatever companies they (are bribed to) choose. Just like speed/red light cameras are today.

Oh hell no!

As other farkers have said...this comes up every once in a while, and is quickly slapped down. One of these times, though...

Lsherm: rubi_con_man: As long as have a raw tonnage multiplier, I'm okay with this.

/yes, I drive a small car with a small engine.
//cram your SUV up yer arse.

Of course you are. Most earth farkers like yourself don't actually give a shiat about the planet - they just want to fark someone else over. It's a religion for the atheist set.

You sound bitter.

And stupid.

The price of gasoline has increased in price by >300% since I started driving, which means that the tax dollars returned have also risen by >300%

Why isn't that enough to keep the road repairs done?

Lsherm: Corvus: This sounds like another big push by the oil lobby!

Like most environmentalists, you don't realize that conservation actually works against you, primarily because you people don't like to do any real research. You are literally your own worst enemy. Google "conserve water, raise rates" and you'll get hundreds of examples of this. (new window)

What are you talking about idiot? What the hell are you talking about raising water rates? That has no bearing on the conversation at hand.

nice strawman though.

Alonjar: Pro tip: Cars have this federally mandated thing called an emissions computer. It already records your mileage electronically and is downloaded by your local state government every time you get a state inspection (if your state does inspections). All they would really have to do is expand the systems already in place.

My state does inspections, but does not connect to the OBD port. It is a safety inspection. "Is this vehicle safe to drive on the road?"

I'd support this if the government would stop wasting the money it has. If they cut out the bloat programs, stop paying outrageous costs on contract overruns, started being accountable for where the money is going, and generally would show more fiscal responsibility, I'll support this. Until then, no. Adding another tax isn't going to change the current situation. It'll just add another source of revenue that can be misappropriated.

Pro Zack: The price of gasoline has increased in price

//Tell me I didn't just post that.

I remember this. Tax the shiat out of beer, smokes, and other bad things people do so the "Gov" can make more money. Then when the total tax falls because people stop drinking, smoking etc., panic and raise it some more.

If we really want to raise enough taxes to balance the budget and pay for all of the entitlment programs to help out our fellow man, we would grow a pair and tax the shiat out of churches/religion.

/republican

Dinki: Or maybe Subby can tell us how else we are going to pay for road maintenance.

We could always do that crazy thing of increasing taxing those who have the highest incomes (I'm not the subby). It's weird how so many have such an aversion to higher taxes on the richest among us but any other crazy tax idea (that is largely regressive) generates little or no outrage.

So if this stupid idea gets approved, who is supposed to pay to install the spy gear on my car that'll report how many miles I drive every year.

Lsherm: Like most environmentalists, you don't realize that conservation actually works against you,

A) Where did I mention conservation? I didn't.

B) You are trying to tell us fuel prices do not go up based on demand?

c) WATER IS NOT GAS DUMBfark! They are very different! Companies that supply water are paid VERY different then oil! companies. Comparing the two shows you are a complete idiot who has no farking clue what you are talking about.

Pro Zack: Pro Zack: The price of gasoline has increased in price

//Tell me I didn't just post that.

Department of Redundancy Department

How about simplifying the tax code, not making it more complex?

Unless you're a politician, then the tax code is your salary.

Thud'nBlunder: Just raise the damn fuel tax

this.

but then big brother couldn't track your location in the name of taxation.

or we could oh and don't know return income taxes to the reagan era levels...or tax capital gains as regular income...or cut defense spending...or reform medicare...but but but socialism.

rubi_con_man: As long as have a raw tonnage multiplier, I'm okay with this.

I just switched from a hybrid to a V6, and I still think this is the right idea. Tax consumption, not everyday life. Tax behavior you want to change, not the behavior you're encouraging. Heavier vehicles do more damage to the roads (not to mention create more emissions), so they should be the ones paying the most to maintain the roads.