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Pennsylvania taking baby steps away from gas tax, toward fee for miles driven
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | May 7, 2022 | Ed Blazina

Posted on 05/08/2022 12:51:49 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Following a slowly growing national movement, Pennsylvania may be ready to try the idea of charging drivers a mileage-based fee to make up millions in transportation revenue lost to more fuel-efficient hybrid and electric cars.

Melissa J. Batula, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s acting executive deputy secretary, said the department is working with the General Assembly to draft legislation establishing fees for those who pay little or nothing toward road maintenance. That’s because the state gets about 75% of its road money from the gasoline tax.

A commission appointed last year by Gov. Tom Wolf recommended a series of steps to phase out reliance on the gasoline tax, including creating a method for hybrid and electric vehicle owners to help pay for transportation costs.

“There’s still a lot to figure out,” said Ms. Batula, adding that she is optimistic a bill can be introduced by the end of summer.

Oregon has had a voluntary program since 2015; Utah started a similar one in 2018 and Virginia followed in 2019. The federal infrastructure bill includes money for a national pilot program, but nothing has been established yet.

The problem is that states that rely on gasoline taxes for transportation funding have seen that money stagnate or in some cases decrease because of more fuel-efficient vehicles and the growing popularity of electric vehicles.

With the pandemic keeping some drivers home and the Biden administration’s multibillion-dollar push to increase charging stations to grow the number of electric vehicles, the problem is only going to get worse.

In Pennsylvania, the Wolf administration last year set a goal of phasing out the gasoline tax — among the highest in the country at 57.6 cents a gallon — and replacing it with a mileage-based fee . . .

(Excerpt) Read more at post-gazette.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Chit/Chat; History; Local News; Miscellaneous; Outdoors; Society; Travel
KEYWORDS: construction; evs; funding; gastax; hybrids; infrastructure; legislature; mileagetax; oregon; penndot; pennsylvania; phaseout; revenues; tomwolf; transportation; utah; virginia; vmt
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
No, and no again.

We have the 2nd highest gas tax in the nation and that money is supposed to go to roads and bridges. Those roads and bridges are crap thanks to our leftist infested government and their lazy ass employees.

The solution: Cut the gas tax to the lowest in nation, and really dedicate it to roads and bridges. PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission needs to be merged. No reason to have two corrupt outfits ripping off Pennsylvania residents. Then public sector unions need to be outlawed, followed by a mass firing of lazy ass government employees - starting from the top down. Reorganize PennDOT to focus on roads and bridges. Sorry, Philly. No funds for your beautifully corrupt SEPTA - you pay your own way. No funds for Amtrak. No funds for green crap. Build roads and brides and do it right.

If the lowest gas tax in the nation doesn't fund excellent roads and bridges, then cut all those social programs without raising any other taxes.

Roads and bridges are one thing that government should provide. If they can't do something as simple as that, then they shouldn't be doing anything at all.

21 posted on 05/08/2022 1:27:22 PM PDT by ConservativeInPA (Scratch a leftist and you'll find a fascist )
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

So every highway, street, alley, graveled country lane, parking lot, driveway, or anywhere else a person is likely to drive, would become a toll road.


22 posted on 05/08/2022 1:32:00 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog. )
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

so they’ll control every vehicle ?


23 posted on 05/08/2022 1:39:17 PM PDT by butlerweave
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

“Ve Must Restrict Zee Mobility of Zee Peasants!”


24 posted on 05/08/2022 1:39:53 PM PDT by EasySt (Say not this is the truth, but so it seems to me to be, as I see this thing I think I see. #MAGAA)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Some of that sounds like “big brother” government watching where people drive, but a recent report by The Eastern Transportation Coalition determined that is a myth,

Oh, well if the Eastern Transportation Coalition says it is a myth, that settles it, doesn't it?
25 posted on 05/08/2022 1:40:29 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana (“...we would live very well without Facebook."-B.LeMaire)
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To: Rural_Michigan

However in PA they note the mileage every time the car is inspected. Total BS….fed up with all taxes.


26 posted on 05/08/2022 1:47:53 PM PDT by mikelets456
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Too intrusive. Too Big Brother. Next.

(Thanks a lot, electric weenies.)


27 posted on 05/08/2022 1:49:01 PM PDT by the OlLine Rebel (Common sense is an uncommon virtue./Federal-run medical care is as good as state-run DMVds)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

Such a fee would hurt service companies that must drive vehicles to locations to do their work. I know that companies like Comcast, would be paying big mileage fees because of such dim-witted policy.


28 posted on 05/08/2022 1:49:40 PM PDT by jonrick46 (Leftnicks chase illusions of motherships at the end of the pier.))
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To: Leaning Right

How about disconnecting the odometer for half a year? If they give you a GPS, pull the fuse. F their war on private transportation!


29 posted on 05/08/2022 1:57:07 PM PDT by jonrick46 (Leftnicks chase illusions of motherships at the end of the pier.))
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To: JonPreston

My thoughts exactly; yet another way to screw rural areas or people who simply drive to work.


30 posted on 05/08/2022 1:57:30 PM PDT by MSF BU
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
don't let this happen....this is a direct assault on freedom of movement...

slowly but surely we are being boiled to death....

you can bet all the govt workers will get free gas or gas cards...

31 posted on 05/08/2022 1:58:33 PM PDT by cherry (;)
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To: joshua c

yep....the more fuel efficient our cars become the less tax the govt class gets so they had to do more scheming....


32 posted on 05/08/2022 1:59:56 PM PDT by cherry (;)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

This is not a solution.

This is bad.


33 posted on 05/08/2022 2:19:04 PM PDT by sauropod ("We put all our politicians in prison as soon as they are elected. Don’t you?" Why? "It saves time.”)
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To: mikelets456

I must report my odometer reading every time I renew my Allstate insurance. PENNDOT surely records the odometer reading when I get my annual vehicle inspection, as well.


34 posted on 05/08/2022 2:23:08 PM PDT by Tucker39 ("It is impossible so to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible." George Washington )
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

What is tharlt better?


35 posted on 05/08/2022 2:24:44 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

FrogDad and I were talking about this the other day.

People in DC and other East Coast cities have public transportation options. Hell, you can drive across 3 States in an afternoon. Advocating for a per-mile fee could be almost okay there.

People in the West who have to drive 75 miles each way to some doctors appointments or 30 miles each way to a full-sized WalMart will get screwed with a per-mile fee. People in DC don’t seem to care.


36 posted on 05/08/2022 2:27:46 PM PDT by FrogMom (Time marches on...)
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To: Leaning Right

Another reason they’re pushing to eradicate older, pre obd2 vehicles.

Yank your speedo cable and your odo won’t move.


37 posted on 05/08/2022 2:31:05 PM PDT by SPDSHDW (You get what you let occur with no resistance. Everything Joepedo n' felons do is on your head.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

all modern cars are tracking you anyway, especially EVs.


38 posted on 05/08/2022 2:32:09 PM PDT by SPDSHDW (You get what you let occur with no resistance. Everything Joepedo n' felons do is on your head.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks
The more fuel efficient cars are usually lighter and causes less wear and tear on the roads.
Therefore a mileage tax is not fair at all.
Plus it removes the major incentive for fuel efficient cars.

Also, once EV's becomes the majority, expect the tax on electricity go way up. Supply/Demand and Infrastructure and all that will be the excuse.
You may be required to install a special meter for charging your car.
In the end, nothing will be gained. Government is sure to ruin it.

39 posted on 05/08/2022 2:33:46 PM PDT by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
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To: mikelets456

No inspections in OK......They had one when I moved here. It was just lights, mirrors, etc....But they stopped that BS.


40 posted on 05/08/2022 2:38:41 PM PDT by Osage Orange (1961 VW Two Door Truck)
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