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 ...
The roads have to be maintained somehow. Gas tax or mileage tax, someone who uses the roads should be helping to pay for it. Rural folk use the roads, they should pay to maintain those roads. Good luck putting odometers on Amish buggies though.
What is unfair is the gas tax going to things that aren't maintaining the roads, and wasteful (and corrupt) road projects that take forever and never accomplish what they're set out to do. Make every bidding process and construction project open, fair, and auditable, and disqualify companies from biddinf when those companies have been gaming the system with bribes and cost overruns for the past fifty years.
IL charges a yearly fee to own a EV.
ROFL! I’m dead!!
Add a surcharge based on the exit if they must, to pay for the towns that are driven through. The cities can receive the direct exit toll revenues, and perhaps a percentage of held-back revenue based on traffic to pay for the more remote roads.
-PJ
Libtards need to pay their fair share 🤪
One of the reasons we have a solar system producing 58% of the power we consumed this past year. And I'm upgrading it, while getting an EV.
There are politicians that need to be... corrected.
If anyone believes the gas price will come down in exchange for this tax, they’re crazy.
That’s exactly why Democrats want this tax. They abandoned rural America and don’t mind punishing it.
Computation of miles driven will be a headache no matter how they slice it.
I’m surprised these liberals don’t just go for it - replace gasoline tax with an electricity environmental tax. Cut out the middleman and go where the money is.
Do I want this? Of course not. But eventually they will go there.
This benefits urbans liberals and penalizes exurban and rural-small town Republicans.
Most vigorously.
“Also, once EV’s becomes the majority, expect the tax on electricity go way up.”
One of the reasons we have a solar system producing 58% of the power we consumed this past year. And I’m upgrading it, while getting an EV.
ev cars will soon be disposable and cheap.
I remember when a 42” 480p plasma was $6000.
recently I got a 50” 1080p 240hz old stock, but still in a sealed box TV for $25
and it is still in the box.
You will be tracked. The states already steal the gas tax money for other things then repairing roads. They want the ability to power off your car remotely. Already happens with smart meters where the a/c or heat is changed by the state in your home. Did not say the right things then no electricity for you.
I they impost the mileage tax will they also eliminate the gas tax?
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