Posted on 07/03/2015 6:45:07 AM PDT by Enlightened1
Oregon launches program to tax drivers per mile Never autoplay videos
David Hastings is a rare American. This long-time hybrid car owner from Oregon wants to pay higher taxes for roads and bridges and says the current 30 cents per gallon state gas tax barely affects him.
"I've been free-loading on the highways for 20 years driving electric cars or hybrid cars, getting at least 40 miles to the gallon. So I haven't been paying my share," Hastings said.
Now, Hastings will pay more thanks to OReGO -- the first pay-by-the-mile program in the U.S.
Oregons Department of Transportation has been working on it for 15 years as a way to eventually replace the gas tax, which has been flat due to an influx of high mileage vehicles and people driving less.
Right now the program is voluntary and being capped at 5,000 participants, but an ODOT official told Fox News the ultimate goal is to make it mandatory and change the way states pay for roads -- forever.
"We're trying to make up for a growing deficit, really, because inflation's eating away at our ability to buy asphalt and rebar and the things we need to maintain the roads," said Tom Fuller of the Oregon Department of Transportation.
According to a national usage fee alliance, 28 states are in various stages of following down the same road. However, there are also privacy concerns. Two of the three OReGO systems track and store a cars every move.
"To put a GPS monitor in everybody's car, the government already knows too much about us as it is," Jeff Kruse, a Republican lawmaker told Fox News.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
think faraday shielding
no signal, no record
They have enormous government-employee pension obligations that are paid out monthly and a huge gibs-me-dat portion of the population that the shrinking number of productive citizens must pay for.
Nailed it!
Nailed it!
My bad for the double post.
My good since it bears repeating!
If I have to Ill dust off the 56 chev sedan with a 6 volt electrical system. They will never be able to figure out how to connect their 12 volt gizmo to it.
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I had a ‘52 International pick-up truck with an 8 volt system. Never failed to start, even in sub zero temperatures.
I WARNED people ON THIS SITE that if they kept fighting the gasoline tax, we would end up being taxed by how much we drive, where we drive, when we drive, what we drive, (and eventually) how much we earn.
But you guys kept fighting the gas tax, so the politicians have now given up...and instead of a tax (which people hate), we will now have “fees”, which are MUCH EASIER for politicians to manipulate and control.
So, THANKS A LOT.
Screw em. Buy and use a bicycle.
Have you been to Portland? Bicycles are already an ingrained part of the culture. They even have a “Bike Naked” event, and no, you DO NOT want to see it!
“...this is the same state that rose wages in Seattle to 15 bucks and hour...”
When did they move Seattle to Oregon?
Bike Naked just sounds like a nasty thought. Never been to Oregon but did spend 15 minutes changing planes at LAX. Have no use for the left or northeast coasts. Just bought my first bike in 40 years, am sixty and getting myself into shape for what I see coming.
Maybe an American, but with Marxist's tendencies. Kinda like the guy in the White House.
5.56mm
Pajama Boy drives a car? who knew....
Here in San Diego last drought, city begged that we cut usage by 50%, we met the challenge, water district doubled rates to keep the money flowing. Next they started billing monthly and folks didn’t realize that monthly was 1-1/2 the bi-monthly rate. A bill of mine from 10 years ago was $52 and change today $229 and change.
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