The Almighty Government wants to tax you by the mile.

[rbell]

SOURCE

Figures.

Timeline:

• Feds do the gas tax thing, to pay for road infrastructure (a very understandable need, and one that must be paid for).
• Because the government is addicted to spending/pork, they have no other money from any other source available to help fund this work...it's pretty much up to the gas tax.
• The government gets their depends in a bunch over the fuel efficiency of cars, and the number of miles people drive. They aim to raise one, and reduce the other.
• Mission accomplished...through astronomical fuel prices, increased efficiency, a bit of carpooling, and the subsequent economic collapse, fuel purchases go way down.
• In a moment of realization, the government realizes that in accomplishing their goal, there's less revenue coming in. And since they have to spend money on everything under the sun...there's no more $$ available.
• Brilliant idea comes to the front: Let's tax folks on the number of miles they drive!

Why do I think this is a terrible idea?

1. Privacy concerns. The government now will want to keep up with when and where you drive? That bothers me.
   
   

   The system would require all cars and trucks be equipped with global satellite positioning technology, a transponder, a clock and other equipment to record how many miles a vehicle was driven, whether it was driven on highways or secondary roads, and even whether it was driven during peak traffic periods or off-peak hours...

2. Taxes based on miles driven, and weight, means truckers will get slammed. That industry does not need another setback. And if they hit them again...get ready for crazy inflation. Bad, dumb, ill-advised idea.
3. It removes an incentive to buy economical cars, at least to some degree.
4. The danger exists that the feds will do this, and the states won't...or vice versa. Then, you'll be paying a gas tax AND a "mileage tax."

"Republican" (yeah, right) Transportation Secretary Ron LaHood is for this.

Hey, Ronnie...for an elephant, you sure do look a lot like a donkey...

 

[ray Marshall]

SOURCE

Figures.

Timeline:

• Feds do the gas tax thing, to pay for road infrastructure (a very understandable need, and one that must be paid for).
• Because the government is addicted to spending/pork, they have no other money from any other source available to help fund this work...it's pretty much up to the gas tax.
• The government gets their depends in a bunch over the fuel efficiency of cars, and the number of miles people drive. They aim to raise one, and reduce the other.
• Mission accomplished...through astronomical fuel prices, increased efficiency, a bit of carpooling, and the subsequent economic collapse, fuel purchases go way down.
• In a moment of realization, the government realizes that in accomplishing their goal, there's less revenue coming in. And since they have to spend money on everything under the sun...there's no more $$ available.
• Brilliant idea comes to the front: Let's tax folks on the number of miles they drive!

Why do I think this is a terrible idea?

1. Privacy concerns. The government now will want to keep up with when and where you drive? That bothers me.
   
   
2. Taxes based on miles driven, and weight, means truckers will get slammed. That industry does not need another setback. And if they hit them again...get ready for crazy inflation. Bad, dumb, ill-advised idea.
3. It removes an incentive to buy economical cars, at least to some degree.
4. The danger exists that the feds will do this, and the states won't...or vice versa. Then, you'll be paying a gas tax AND a "mileage tax."

"Republican" (yeah, right) Transportation Secretary Ron LaHood is for this.

Hey, Ronnie...for an elephant, you sure do look a lot like a donkey...

I hate to think it but SOME DAY I am convenced that we will have a bloody revolution on our soil. Just don't know will be the cause, our own Government or...

 

[LeBuick]

Wow, this would kill the trucking industry...

If they do this they should give us back the interstate highway tax and the tax we pay on gas to fix roads etc... This is as bad as taxing the Internet...

 

[JamieinNH]

I hate this idea! Although not because of the fees for me, but because it's just plain wrong.

I only drive about 1000 mile per year anyways... I live, work and shop all within a 3 block radius... So life is pretty simple for me! I especially like it when we get a winter snow storm and i don't have to warm my car or get the snow off of it before work!

 

[rbell]

This is what I don't get about those in charge of our country:

They act all worried about our economy,
then they consider an idea that would wreck it.


Morons.

 

[billwald]

Simpler to put tolls on the interstate system. My personal experience is that people drive in a more civilized manner when they must exit thru a toll plaza area.

 

[Revmitchell]

Obama Administration Shoots Down LaHood Mileage Tax Idea

President Obama's transportation department slapped down a suggestion by its own secretary Friday that the government tax motorists based on how many miles they drive rather than how much gasoline they burn.


More Here

 

[JamieinNH]

Yes, it would seem that this wasn't Obama's doing, it was LaHood that suggested this. Obama's Press secretary Robert Gibbs, said it was not and will not be the policy of Obama's.

Story Link

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama will not adopt a policy to tax motorists based on how many miles they drive instead of how much gasoline they buy, his chief spokesman said Friday.

Press secretary Robert Gibbs commented after Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told The Associated Press that he wants to consider the idea, which has been proposed in some states but has angered many drivers.

"It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration," Gibbs told reporters, when asked for the president's thoughts about the policy and LaHood's remarks.

 

[abcgrad94]

Simpler to put tolls on the interstate system. My personal experience is that people drive in a more civilized manner when they must exit thru a toll plaza area.

Ack NO! We've seen the results of tolls here in WV and trust me, I wouldn't wish it on anyone! The tolls are supposed to last for a certain amount of time, but then the politicians forget they promised that and insist they NEED the toll money and continually raise it to suit their purposes. It's literally highway robbery.

 

[billwald]

As a Libertarian I support user fees in place of general taxes for major highways and bridges, whatever.

Our national finances are based on theft . . . the people in Cal think they are stealing federal dollars from the people in New York and the people in New York think they are stealing from New Mexico. Bottom line is the real crooks are stealing from all of us and putting the money in off shore banks.

 

[LeBuick]

Yes, it would seem that this wasn't Obama's doing, it was LaHood that suggested this. Obama's Press secretary Robert Gibbs, said it was not and will not be the policy of Obama's.

Kind of a shame with the Republican in the cabinet suggest a new tax. You think he was trying to play for a key to the Democratic washroom or something? One of two Republicans in an administration must be a lonely spot...

 

[EdSutton]

Ack NO! We've seen the results of tolls here in WV and trust me, I wouldn't wish it on anyone! The tolls are supposed to last for a certain amount of time, but then the politicians forget they promised that and insist they NEED the toll money and continually raise it to suit their purposes. It's literally highway robbery.

Were it not for tolls, there would have been no WV TPK to even gripe about. (I do assume you are referring to the WV TPK.) The WV TPK was built as a privately owned road, I believe, and even currently is not a part of the general road system of WV, and is entirely self-supporting. Several of the WV bridges between states, including some in use, even today, were constructed as privately owned and constructed toll bridges, as well, including Bellaire, Newell, and Nolan, with the Newell bridge still in daily use. No one is 'forced' to use any toll facility in WV, as there are "free" roads along all the routes, even if they may not be as convenient as the toll facilities.

In fact, aside from ingress and egress on Staten Island, New York City, and a couple of other smaller places, one does not actually have to use any sort of 'toll' facility, in any area of major population and size, anywhere in the US to get from Point A to Point B, aside from parts of Alaska, with the exception of the obvious islands, etc..

For two or three ridiculous examples, it is not even necessary to pay the 3 buck toll on the Mackinac Bridge to cross between the Northern and Southern Peninsulas of Michigan. Impractical (and costly) though it may be, one can travel around Lake Michigan, by automobile.

Nor is it necessary to pay the first nickel in tolls to drive from, say Atlantic City, NJ, or Boston, MA to Chicago, IL, although one can (and I certainly would) drive virtually every mile of those routes on the high-speed freeways, most of which are interstates, with most of said interstates being toll roads, in both these cases. However, US-30 still runs effectively from Coast-to-coast from Atlantic City to Astoria, OR, as does US-20 from Boston to Newport, OR. (One might have to take a somewhat circuitous route in the greater Philadelphia area, in order to "shun the tollgate" completely. However, it can be done, and US-30 still comes very near Chicago, and US-20 actually passes through Chicago, as well.

For my third example, oh - I don't know, but let us try the route between Charleston and Princeton, WV, considering you happen to be from WV. Personally, I'd pay the tolls (which rate, incidentally has not increased in 28 years on the self-supporting WV TPK), but one can travel via US-60, SR-16, and US-19 a nice 'scenic' (but 'free') routing, if one deems it worthwhile to take about two hours longer each way, plus add another 40 miles or so, to the trip, to save <$10 in the one-way tolls, by automobile. Sounds like that would be "paying for the privilege" to me.

Or at least that's my personal opinion, both as a "Roads" scholar and part-time professional driver.

Ed

 

[EdSutton]

Toll roads, by the mile.

Since there have been views from both sides about toll roads, let me offer this small list of modern KY freeways, that would not have been built, at least anywhere near as early as they were, and some perhaps would not even exist today, had they not been built as toll roads. The dates the roads were built is after the road, itself.

1. KY TPK (1954), now a 39 mi. part of I-65 between Elizabethtown (E-town) and Louisville, and the I-264 Watterson Expressway. While this one would definitely have been built, as a part of I-65, the TPK had already been there, and was used fairly heavily for 10-15 yrs. longer than otherwise it would have been.

2. Another 800 mi. or so of nine additional PKWYs and related roads were built that otherwise would never have been built, or would have taken far longer, at the least, including ~ 350 mi. already scheduled to become part of the interstate system, and another ~200 that definitely should become full interstates, IMO. (All but the MTN PKWY should definitely become Interstates, IMO, and I would not oppose seeing it as one, as well.)

That makes a pretty good chunk of driving, that we here have been driving on for as much as 40 years, all of which would not have happened, at least as it did, without toll roads. I kinda' like them, for that reason, and I have at one time or another, driven on most of them, and very happily paying the tolls, :thumbs: considering the alternative of not having many of them at all, and having also been 'beaten up' and worn out, while driving on most of the far worse roads they have supplanted. :tonofbricks:

I'm kinda' partial to good interstate quality roads, myself.

Ed

 

[rbell]

As a Libertarian I support user fees in place of general taxes for major highways and bridges, whatever.

Our national finances are based on theft . . . the people in Cal think they are stealing federal dollars from the people in New York and the people in New York think they are stealing from New Mexico. Bottom line is the real crooks are stealing from all of us and putting the money in off shore banks.

I suppose there's proof somewhere in this area code for your assertion...

 

[rbell]

Kind of a shame with the Republican in the cabinet suggest a new tax. You think he was trying to play for a key to the Democratic washroom or something? One of two Republicans in an administration must be a lonely spot...

Obama's a smart cookie. He's not about to put traditional, conservative Repubs on the cabinet. Look for rather liberal, fiscally irresponsible, "RINO's" to be his choices.

Case and point: This moron that sugggested the mileage tax.

 

[billwald]

>>Our national finances are based on theft . . . the people in Cal think they are stealing federal dollars from the people in New York and the people in New York think they are stealing from New Mexico. Bottom line is the real crooks are stealing from all of us and putting the money in off shore banks.

>I suppose there's proof somewhere in this area code for your assertion...

You gots to be kidding. Three witnesses . . . The TV, the press, the web. Every state legislator and governor is talking about how they will spend their share of the latest give away. Who do they say will pay for the give away? Their state citizens? They don't say, do they? The want the stupid, thieving citizens to think that someone else is paying.

Wire story this morning about your national government admitting that the published national budget will be $Trillion in the red for the next TEN years. That's a third of a million per American family not counting the $100,000/family in the last three give aways and another $30,000/family for the Bush Oil Wars.

 

[LeBuick]

Obama's a smart cookie. He's not about to put traditional, conservative Repubs on the cabinet. Look for rather liberal, fiscally irresponsible, "RINO's" to be his choices.

I have to agree, no need putting one of the NO boys in the cabinet or he might as well leave the post empty and save the taxpayers the expensive salary. I can do nothing without a title or a salary.

Case and point: This moron that sugggested the mileage tax.

True, but he wears the union (Republican) label just the same. It shows we all have children we're not proud of. The Dems have Barney Franks...

 

[rbell]

True, but he wears the union (Republican) label just the same. It shows we all have children we're not proud of. The Dems have Barney Franks...

OK, that made me laugh. If I had to choose between proposing dumb policy, and doing some of the things Barney does...call me a dummy any day!

Good for Obama. He killed this, dead.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090221/D96FKPMG0.html

Now, don't say I never complimented the guy...

 

[Palatka51]

OK, that made me laugh. If I had to choose between proposing dumb policy, and doing some of the things Barney does...call me a dummy any day!

Good for Obama. He killed this, dead.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090221/D96FKPMG0.html

Now, don't say I never complimented the guy...

I think that our President was very smart to not do this. However, whats to stop a Democratic Congress from slipping this type of legislation into another "stimulus bill" that is 24 inches thick in the dead of night without anyone reading it, voted on and sent to the President to sign into law?

If they are thinking like this it is best to be on our guard.

 

[Revmitchell]

I think that our President was very smart to not do this. However, whats to stop a Democratic Congress from slipping this type of legislation into another "stimulus bill" that is 24 inches thick in the dead of night without anyone reading it, voted on and sent to the President to sign into law?

If they are thinking like this it is best to be on our guard.

That is exactly what the Democratic MO is.