Posted on 03/09/2015 9:39:57 AM PDT by nascarnation
With EVs and other fuel-efficient vehicles saving consumers money at the pump, Oregon will be the first to issue a per-mile road tax to refill its coffers.
Automotive News reports the state will offer two options to its motorists: pay at the pump, or pay a 1.5-cent rate per mile traversed. The latter will be conducted through a device that plugs into a vehicles OBD port, then gathers mileage data to determine how much the motorist will pay in tax.
Right now, the program set to begin July 1 will be implemented by the Oregon DOT in partnership with Sanef ITS Technologies America and Intelligent Mechatronic Systems, the latter supplying the aforementioned OBD mileage reader.
Up to 5,000 volunteers will participate in the initial program, which will compare the tax paid at the pump to the miles driven. The results will be turned over to ODOT, which will then determine if a motorist is given a refund or an invoice based on said findings.
Oregon wont be the only one to undergo a road tax program: over 10 other states are either in the process of passing legislation or conducting trials for such programs.
Freedom of movement and freedom of assembly is now being restricted by tax.
Eff the ba$tards. They ‘ll have us all riding horses again.
More likely a "jobs" program for some Silicon Valley crony consultants and state DOT.
Remember the 15,000 attorneys and accountants they hired for Obamacare?
When you consider that over half of the population voted for 0bama in the last election, the number of idiots in this country should answer your question.
There are always unintended consequences and fraud. So, first we have those who will purchase all of their gas out of state. Then the device that measures their mileage simply plugs in a port? Simply remove it for that drive in the country or across town to that special restaurant.
As for the 5k volunteers? Oregon has enough enviro wackos to fill the bill.
Lest anyone naively believes this plan will not hurt the poor doesn’t know the single mom who drives 25 miles to her part time job thanks to Obama’s economy, and the dozens like her.
Looks like there may be a tax ‘refund’ possible.
Certainly it’s better than some proposal to tax electricity too since some drivers now recharge at home.
I say increase the annual licensing costs of alternative fuel cars. They could pay it in a lump sump annually or quarterly.
Right now the taxes paid by gas car drivers are a hidden expense. Bring it out in the open.
Bicyclists claim they own the road too. When you ask them where they paid for it, they’ll say when they bought some gas.
Next up: Air tax. Your doctor will determine your lung capacity and file a report. You will be taxed on your air volume. Next will be expelled air tax followed by a rain tax.
If all the Humvee owners opt for this, they will save money, and it will be ended real soon.
I believe all Humvee owners have been shot on sight in Oregon by the green patrol and the vehicles shipped to Texas.
/s
As Oregon’s late Governor Tom McCall was famous for saying in the 60’s...”welcome to Oregon. Have a nice visit but please don’t stay”.
Those were some classic road signs.
The device would have to have a GPS so it could know in-state vs. out-of-state mileage.
Oh yea, by the way, they would know where you are at all times.
What if most of those miles are outside Oregon?
Why didn’t they just charge personal property tax with their vehicle registration. Kansas charge out the wahoo for personal property tax. Oregon has no personal property tax.
Fleet-matics on a huge scale.
And then come border stations and roadblocks.
Several months ago, there was a thread about property owners not being allowed to keep their rain water.
I am sure you can file refunds for the taxes at the pump by filling out a 740 page document. And certainly no government agency will use the mandatory GPS data against you.
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