Mileage Based Road User TAX

Wall Street Journal ^ | 2/1/2006 | Advert

[spokeshave]

Proposals Wanted!

the University of Iowa Public Policy Center is conducting a major federally funded study to evaluate the public response to a mileage-based user charge (TAX-Ed).

We are seeking to hire several marketing research firms to help recruit candidates for a two-year study.

We need 240 participants per year in each of five cities. The demonstration sites for the project will bein the following locations:

San Diego, CA

Baltimore, MD

Austin, TX

Boise, ID

and the Research Triangle in NC (Durham, raleigh and Chapel Hill.

For complete information click on the RFP link at http://www.ulowa.edu/

[F16Fighter]

Why don't they just stamp us with 666 then implant us all with an ID computer chip and mini camera to track our every movement tomorrow?

That's where we're heading anyway.

[CIB-173RDABN]

I don't see a problem with the person who uses the roads paying for the roads.

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This is already being done, it is what the tax on gaoline is suppose to do.

[reformedliberal]

Why was it abandoned?

I live in the country and my husband works 3 days a week about 45 miles from home. I can see this being agreed to in urban areas or in small, densely populated countries/states, but it would kill the economies of rural areas. We have a minimum of 16 miles roundtrip just to go to town to doctor's appointments/post office/shopping. Bicycles are not an option on hills and/or in bad weather or for elderly or people with children, either, nor can you carry very much.

They can add on this tech for new cars, but it will take 10 years or more to get the older vehicles out of the available pool. I doubt they can retrofit older vehicles nor can they buck the sellers and buyers who must purchase used. Even most of the greenies drive 10-yr-old Subarus, Toyotas or Hondas.

This is such a stupid, regressive idea.

[Amerigomag]

Well, I suppose this scheme has its benefits.

In California, the Republican Party wants to fascise the process by diverting a portion of their proposed fifth layer of taxes to its large donors. The Wilsonegger gang calls it a public-private partnership and they're ready to start it up using over $200B in bonding, the initial layer of public taxation.

If the CRP has its way, Californians will pay an initial tax to build the toll roads, pay a second tax to purchase their vehicles , pay an third, annual tax to keep their vehicles, pay a fourth layer of tax for vehicle fuel and now pay a fifth layer of taxes, shared with CRP donors, to use the roads.

That's efficient! Love Republicans!

[John Jorsett]

I don't see a problem with the person who uses the roads paying for the roads.

Which is supposedly what the gasoline tax is for.

[bigfootbob]

I know. I live in a rural county in Washington and it's a 30 mile round trip to the grocery store.

I think it's about time we start shooting some of these bureaucrats and politicians who are insistent on attacking the middle class, which is exactly what this kind of oppressive taxation does.

[patriot_wes]

"This is a good idea if some cars got 15 MPG and some got 150 MPG. But as it is, it's just the typical, asinine behavior of bureaucrats."

yea, until the 150mpg cars are penalized with a higher tax for not contributing their "fair share." Asinine is right!

[CodeToad]

We have such a tax, it is called the Gas Tax.

[Renderofveils]

"We already have a 'mileage based tax', called the fuel tax. The more you drive, the more fuel you use, the more tax you pay. We do not need to monitor the movement of every vehicle to collect that tax."

I can't imagine the state removing the gas tax in favor of this program. I mean, they'd miss out on all that revenue from boating, lawn care, and farm equipment. Maybe they'll just give you a card to swipe at the gas station when filling you car. (And I can see Easley coming up with something like that.)

[Smokin' Joe]

Off road fuel users such as farmers, construction companies, oil drilling rigs, and such can obtain delivered bulk fuel dyed for off-road use, with a road use fuel tax exemption.

Don't get caught using off-road diesel in your pickup, as I understand the fine is substantial.

Smaller users (who fill their gas cas at the pump) pay the highway tax anyway.

[B4Ranch]

Going to be ready for the flood runoff when the snow melts?

[heleny]

to evaluate the public response to a mileage-based user charge

The answer will be "negative."

If the mileage were calculated by using GPS, people might just cover their cars' GPS antennae to block the satellite signals. If the mileage were determined from odometer readings, people might try harder to reset or roll back their odometers. Either way, car owners would not like the additional hassle or the new tax.

[TaxRelief]

Gas mileage improves, so gas tax revenue decreases. Ya gotta love the irony.

[Old Professer]

Highways are the most durable of all forms of government provided infrastructure, each inch financed by the taxpayers; it only makes good sense for governments, now strapped by social commitments, to leverage their "investment" by charging the same taxpayers for the continued use and neglect at the same time.