Posted on 01/23/2021 8:42:50 AM PST by george76
When President Joe Biden announced former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg as his pick for Transportation Secretary, many scratched their heads. Why would he tap someone who oversaw a small budget, in a small town, in the midwest for such a roll? That puzzle is finally coming together.
It turns out that Biden favors Buttigieg's transportation views, specifically the idea that America should move away from the gas tax and instead opt into a tax based on the number of miles a person travels. It would be a new way to provide cash for the Highway Trust Fund, which currently funding from the federal gas tax. As it currently stands, the federal gas tax is 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel.
Liberal states, like California, Oregon, Washington State, and Colorado are already contemplating this so-called "alternative."
Biden's administration would have to figure out how to pay for his $1 trillion infrastructure plan, which includes $160 billion for the transportation department.
During his confirmation hearing with the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Thursday, Buttigieg explained his take on the gas tax.
"I think all options need to be on the table. As you know, the gas tax has not been increased since 1993, and it has never been pegged to inflation, and it's one of the reasons why the current state of Highway Trust Fund is that there's more going out than coming in," Buttigieg said about a potential tax increase. "In the long term, we need to bear in mind also that as vehicles become more efficient and as we pursue electrification, sooner or later, there will be questions about whether the gas tax can be effective at all."
Instead, the transportation nominee wants to consider taxing Americans on the number of miles they drive.
"A lot has been suggested recently about the idea of vehicle-miles-traveled-based, so if we're committed to the idea of user-pays, then part of how you might do that would be based on vehicle miles traveled," he said. "But that raises, of course, concerns about privacy and there remains some technological questions too. These are examples of some of the things that could be part of the solution, but I know that's going to have to be a conversation, not only in the administration, but with Congress too."
Should the Biden administration move forward with taxing Americans based on the number of miles they drive on any given day, rural America would be the ones disproportionately impacted. They live further outside of metro areas. Many travel 20 to 30 miles one way to work or to do any kind of major grocery shopping. Farmers, especially those who live even further out – a few hours from a metropolitan area – would be punished because they don't live in the inner cities.
This is a prime example of why rural folks feel forgotten about. It's always about what's best for those who live in the cities, not about those who grow and transport your food, or do the dirty work no one else is willing to do. It's about those who work in fancy offices in New York City, not the loggers and miners who work in dangerous conditions to provide heating options for the very people who despise them.
Yeah, something I look forward to in my old age. . .Sharing a wall with some loud entitled BLM liberal playing rap at all hours, weed smoke wafting in the hallways and into my tiny apartment (just me and the wife so we can’t get a larger place, White privilege, of course), defacing the elevators, vandalizing cars in the parking lot, attacking old ladies and the crippled, and if you complain about being victimized or living a life of hell, YOU will be accused of racism, a far more heinous crime.
If you bought fuel in the state it off set the tax owed. When I ran for a company they used my qualcomm data to figure it out and handle it all for me. But they would sent suggestions to buy x numbers of gallons of fuel in a state when I went through them.
Just call him President Biden*, or even better, President *
“Thoughts?”
Thanks Tol. But at this point, I consider the country past the point of no-return, so I’m planning to check out for greener pastures - well, not quite, but if I’m going to live in a Leftist country, I prefer to live in one where the government in charge (and pretty much all future governments) do not HATE their own people, or HATE their own country.
As to tolling by the mile - its been a dream of the Left, Corporate America, and the Pointy Heads (Libertarians) for decades...and I suspect many people, including here, will take the bait (I haven’t read the comments yet). The bottom line is that the tax will likely come out to 10-20 cents per mile, and most people here and elsewhere, given our math education, will think it’s far less than the 40 to 60 cents per gallon they pay in the gas tax. As far as tracking of people, that boat already left port, since we all carry smart phones now.
From a broader perspective, I do like the idea of taxing people in the Middle Class for what they demand, as our present situation is untenable (Republicans keep taxes low, while working with Democrats to spend like mad). If we want all this crap, it seems reasonable to try to pay for some of it. I also suspect that we’ll have a 10% VAT soon enough too, and that would be fine with me (for the same reasons)...providing that everyone paid in. Part of what led to our mess now was the idea of half of the country not paying a dime in taxes, while still benefiting from the taxes the other half did pay.
Or “President (sic) Biden”.
I'm too lazy to read all of the comments here, but I'm sure someone may have pointed this out. The far Left has been champing at the bit for decades to do this - consolidate the populace into vertically-stacked, urban metroplexes, ostensibly to preserve the wilderness areas, when everybody knows it's solely to keep the sheep herded.
There’ll be a lot of carpooling going on. Lots of ways to fix their little red wagons.
Better than the gas tax??? Are they kidding me???
Believe me, I find tolling quite useful, unlike you, but if you drive a Sean Hannity type hybrid pickup that gets 20 mpg instead of 11 mpg and pay 10 to 20 cents a mile in tolls or VMT, that’s like paying 2 to 4 dollars a gallon, man!
And look, I do NOT like the idea that we could actually outlive our own country. It’s heartbreaking, frankly. But at least you’re in Texas, which apparently has people there talking about secession. As for me, I’m eventually moving to Florida, so I suppose if the surprisingly useful state GOP keeps control, I could end up living in Free Floridastan, which hopefully would include places like Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and the part of Georgia south of Atlanta, which, as far as I know, is the home of Madame Chuck-A-Rama (Abrams).
As for the VAT tax, I still don’t think we need one. We could probably replace state and local income, corporate and inheritance taxes, as well as state property taxes, with one single, relatively inexpensive consumption tax on all retail goods and services. For Texas (sales tax of 6.25 percent), you could probably actually lower the rate as the tax then covers all things.
The path to freedom, if we must, is first thru the establishment of a new ship of state - by way of forming a new, the Third Continental Congress.
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At all times, even in revolution, the construction of our forefathers’ efforts was to ensure lawful process and exercise authority under the rule of law. For example, contrary to the hysteria perpetrated in the “liberal press,” about the militia, the colonial militia were at all times answerable to civilian authority, in a chain of command reaching down from the Continental Congress and down from the Provincial Congresses of the colonies, often times through what were called Committees of Safety.
There is much in our American Heritage, in which we must seek to know and understand the construction of our country and Constitution, so that where we are going, we will ensure that we do so by a lawful process, and always keep upon the path toward our principle objectives: to restore our Constitution and rule of law over government ... instead of embarking upon a sea of rage because of our current unhappiness.
It will take all of our self-discipline, to not wander from the path. The secret of George Washington’s success, according to him, when asked by a correspondent, after the President’s retirement from public office, was this: “...the straight line.”
Sir Winston Churchill, upon the occasion of a visit to an American university after World War II, and feeling the infirmities of his age, was asked to give a speech; but he had to wait out a lengthy introduction.
At the end of this praise, Churchill stood up and approached the podium; and then said, no more than, “Never, never, never, never quit.”
You must not let go of our democratic-republic [principles]. You must not be “rattled.”
The Founding Fathers and Framers set up a structure for a government in waiting, the Continental Congress. During that decade prior to Lexington and Concord, the colonialists absorbed the principles of law, some of which were discussed in the “letters of correspondence.” There is much that the people knew -— enough people -— which is what will be needed if we are to win.
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Edmund Burke said, in his March 22, 1775 “Speech on Conciliation With America”:
Permit me, Sir, to add another circumstance in our colonies, which contributes no mean part towards the growth and effect of this untractable spirit. I mean their education. In no country perhaps in the world is the law so general a study...
This study renders men acute, inquisitive, dexterous, prompt in attack, ready in defence, full of resources. In other countries, the people, more simple and of a less mercurial cast, judge of an ill principle in government only by an actual grievance; here they anticipate the evil, and judge of the pressure of the grievance by the badness of the principle. They augur misgovernment at a distance; and snuff the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze.
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The Third Continental Congress
To consist of 2 representatives from each state.
Those 2 (per state) are chosen by the RED CONSERVATIVE COUNTIES of their respective states.
The RED Conservative counties of each state, to have themselves chosen 2 representative - who convene with the other sets of 2 representives at the state level.
*That* state level convention for the purpose of choosing the 2 representives, who then proceed to the meeting of the Third Continental Congress.
I call it ‘surfing.’
Boot-A-Geeg really needs to let the states work this thing out.
The only lawful path to that is an article V convention. The ship of states needs a new vessel from the keel up.
We have the right to free association. We can follow the model set by the Founding Fathers.
Another BS thing that will never happen. Its getting boring.
In my observation, the housing market in outlying bedroom communities flatlines when gas rises above $3/gal. which is going to happen (and higher) in a Harris/Biden administration.
Add on a mileage tax and the desired effect of people moving closer to work centers will be achieved.
“Believe me, I find tolling quite useful, unlike you, but if you drive a Sean Hannity type hybrid pickup that gets 20 mpg instead of 11 mpg and pay 10 to 20 cents a mile in tolls or VMT, that’s like paying 2 to 4 dollars a gallon, man!”
I’m not sure we’re as far apart, at this point, Tol, on tolls. I’ve migrated a bit, since privacy is gone now, regardless of tolling. If they were really limited tolling to the specific highways that implemented them, then tolls would be low (often very low) and not a big deal...but that seems to be the exception. Also, if they do want the private sector involved, then fine - have them bid on construction, and then, separately, have them bid on operations for no more than 5 years...and then open up the bidding for the next 5 years. Give the companies a reason to stay lean, instead of a piggy bank of essentially captive ‘customers’.
Carpooling used to be a way to reduce traffic, especially in DC, now it would be a way to avoid more taxes. . .and carpooling is a dream of leftists as well. . .then busses and no POVs allowed..
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