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.
All later model cars keep track of mileage.
Mine keeps track of mileage, fuel filter life, oil filter life, how many miles my trailer was attached, how many hours on the engine, how many of those hours were idling, average MPH....simple matter to compute for tax revenue.
What this really is: Another way to make living more than walking or bus distance from work so expensive everyone moves to town leaving land for the blessed.
And coupling this to the requirement that you have an electric vehicle just adds another cost.
Agenda 21.
Obama floated that tax by the mile balloon once and there was a huge backlash. But these are different times. Obama wanted all of this radical stuff years ago but he was too chicken to go for it. He didn’t want to be blamed if the country imploded. He wants to be a popular celebrity.
If Obama is the one calling all the shots now (I think so), Biden is the one who will catch hell when it all goes horribly wrong.
Big trucks (26,001 gvw and higher) already have to report miles traveled and in what states to ifta. (International fuel taxing authority I think is what it means)
If you don’t buy enough or any fuel in a state you have to pay in.
Aka that system is already in place for electric trucks
Then they will have to double or triple the mileage tax on EVs or require a a bond when registering.
I rin a small business that racks up 20,000 miles a year. I’ll just raise my prices to cover the tax totally. I won’t eat one cent of it.
Can you imagine a soccer mom paying for her 25,000 miles worth of tax in a lump sum?
The revolt would start immediately
The majority of rural voters are not democrats, so their ox is not getting gored.
So! Another opportunity for the government to snoop into our lives.
Thanks! Didn’t know that but it makes sense.....
Something similar will need to be done for the electric car issue.....
Not only is there a Federal tax issue but a State tax issue.....
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That's why I'm keeping my 4x4 from the last century, even tho I just bought the latest with some great "driver assist" gadgets...
That would require retrofitting new odometers on older vehicles. Yet another hidden tax.
Calif does the same a vehicle licensing fee to renew my plate tabs, plus at least a 1.00 gal gas and sales tax, yet the city roads are always in disrepair
What about the working poor with long commutes?
There is not a single entity more misaligned with the needs of the poor than Democrat politicians.
More accurately, when does he not lie.
Why?
Just wait for all the Used Car Lots in poor Neighborhoods selling used EV Beaters for $99 down after the Rats get rid of Gasoline Powered Cars.
They would have a 30 Day Warranty to cover the $5,000 Replacement Battery Packs.
Warning
One goal of Communist and these leftist control freaks are to limit/eliminate the freedom of travel.
Can you imagine a soccer mom paying for her 25,000 miles worth of tax in a lump sum?
The revolt would start immediately
Agree. This is one thing that would wake up sleeping suburbanites. Therefore, it’s not going to happen. Yet. Once Democrats have firm California style control of near the entire country it will happen.
I’m sure Detroit will comply. The question is what to do with all of those older vehicles. One of mine is a 74 with no electronics associated with the drive train.
If you think it will be easy look how long some of the states have taken just to meet the Real ID requirements for drivers licenses.
How will they track the mileage of the Amish?
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