Oregon Tests Novel Mileage Tax

Stateline.org ^ | Friday, May 20, 2005 | Eric Kelderman

[proudofthesouth]

I heard about the following on Fox News today and could hardly believe it. Thought fellow Freepers would be interested in this. After all, what starts in the western part of the U.S. usually heads eastward.

In 1919, Oregon was the first state to tax gasoline. This fall, the state will launch the nation's first high-tech experiment to tax drivers for the miles they travel rather than the gas they buy. The program is the first step in a long-term plan to replace the state's gasoline tax, which pays for about 40 percent of Oregon 's road projects. As in many states, Oregon officials are worried gas tax revenues won’t be able to keep up with the rising costs of road building, especially with improved mileage from both traditional and hybrid cards...............see link for rest of article

http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=32957

[edpc]

Hmmmmm.....kinda blows up the criticism Dems have of trickle down economics, huh?

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Satelite and GPS devices mounted in the car.
Washington state has toyed with the idea, too, with extra levies for those who drive at peak hours and thus contribute to traffic (that translates into those with fairly normal jobs).

[Man50D]

If you drive a car I'll tax the street cuz I'm the taxman. Yaaaah I'm the taxmaaaan!

[Gabz]

My apologies to all, don't mean to abuse the list tonight - but I worked late and am just getting caught up.

I think this might qualify for a "Nanny State Ping," here.

Randall is correct - this is a definite Nanny State Ping!!!

[maine-iac7]

Won't this require some type of 'big brother' monitoring system?

they said it would be a type of GPS - but - (uh huh) they would be 'dumbed down' so's it would only keep track of miles traveled, not places. And would we have any reason to doubt government officials?

[maine-iac7]

"The cars also will have Global Positioning Systems (GPS) so drivers will not be charged for driving outside state borders ...

Another official said the GPS's would be dumbed down so's to track only miles, not places -

Then here they're admitting - while not meaning to - that they will indeed be tracking 'where'...and keeping track of people's movement out of the state and back again - oh, and where, out of state, they go also.

And this does effect all of us, no matter where we live...Once a tax is enthroned, it doesn't go away, it spreads..,

Besides, this sounds more like a trial balloon to see if they can get this lead balloon off the ground. What a wonderful way to keep track of all of our movements. Hitler, Stalin and their ilk must be fuming with envy, lamenting that they didn't have things like GPS at their disposal...

[Old Professer]

Or drowning in his tears.

[maine-iac7]

Mandated GPS unit's in all cars...

Actually, now that I think about it - isn't there aleady a 'stealth' device now built into every car that can record your movements?

[hosepipe]

Oregon?.... (Eddie Murphy laugh)...

[maine-iac7]

The rationale for this is that because so many people are now buying/\driving more economical cars, and are conserving more, the state is loosing money. Therefore, you frugal, "environmentally aware" we going to punish you for being so...

sounds counter productive to me. Hope they crash and burn - the government shills, not the drivers

[Old Professer]

Helmets impede both vision and hearing; important elements in defensive riding.

[Old Professer]

Were Orwell working today, you would find his name in the credits' list of your driver's manual.

[Old Professer]

Rates are influenced more by the cost of repairs (inflation) than by the cost of injury.

[Nik Naym]

"Your daughter, and your other children, if any, and your wife and you should be wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle!"

First of all, that is THEIR decision, not the government's or yours.

Second of all, how old are you? Reason I ask is that when I was a kid NOBODY ever wore a helmet on a bicycle. We never even heard of such a thing. I never knew one person who was killed or brain damaged as a result.

Lots of skinned knees, and a few gravel embedded palms though. Perhaps they should mandate kneepads and gloves too.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Lots of skinned knees, and a few gravel embedded palms though.

Oh, and don't forget, skinned shoulders. Shoulder pads too?

[Nik Naym]

Skinned shoulders?

I used to jump ramps made by putting 2x6s on an orange crate. I used to ride as fast as I could down steep hills into gravel. I rode in traffic, woods, fields, on sidewalks, trails, in the road, on dirt roads, in the rain, in the snow, on mud and more than once along a creek. (in it, not next to it). I would ride one hand, no hands, with the front wheel off the ground, with BOTH wheels off the ground (jumps) and sometimes would stand on the seat, the handlebars and seat (one foot on each-only did that once, LOL!) My friends and I would play "Chicken" , we would also on occasion just outright run into one another. I NEVER saw a skinned shoulder.

Just WHAT were YOU doing???????? LOL

[cherry]

I think the issue with some motorcyclists is that the helmet can limit your hearing and your vision, thus making driving even more hazardous for them......that's what I've heard anyway...

[cherry]

knowing people in Oregon as I do, there are just too many big talkers who can bitch and bitch but don't get involved.....

let Oregon ruin itself...........they depend on tourism and the Indians depend on their casino money......in the end, nobody is going to be happy except the people selling the GPS gadgets...

[cherry]

at least there's a sizable conservative voting bloc in Washington..

I do think there are alot of conservatives in Oregon but I also think they are blaze and bland ....

[Redleg Duke]

Compensate. That is what I did when I rode.

Impact of unprotected cranium on road surface and/or other vehicle impedes life.