Posted on 05/05/2011 5:42:55 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Obama floats plan to tax cars by the mile By Pete Kasperowicz - 05/05/11 07:45 AM ET
The Obama administration has floated a transportation authorization bill that would require the study and implementation of a plan to tax automobile drivers based on how many miles they drive.
The plan is a part of the administration's "Transportation Opportunities Act," an undated draft of which was obtained this week by Transportation Weekly.
This follows a March Congressional Budget Office report that supported the idea of taxing drivers based on miles driven.
Among other things, CBO suggested that a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax could be tracked by installing electronic equipment on each car to determine how many miles were driven; payment could take place electronically at filling stations.
The CBO report was requested by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND), who has proposed taxing cars by the mile as a way to increase federal highway revenues.
Obama's proposal seems to follow up on that idea in section 2218 of the draft bill. That section would create, within the Federal Highway Administration, a Surface Transportation Revenue Alternatives Office. It would be tasked with creating a "study framework that defines the functionality of a mileage-based user fee system and other systems."
The administration seems to be aware of the need to prepare the public for what would likely be a controversial change to the way highway funds are collected. For example, the office is called on to serve a public relations function, as the draft says it should "increase public awareness regarding the need for an alternative funding source for surface transportation programs and provide information on possible approaches."
The draft bill says the "study framework" for the project and a public awareness communications plan should be established within two years of creating the office, and that field tests should begin within four years.
The office would be required to consider four factors in field trials: the capability of states to enforce payment, the reliability of technology, administrative costs, and "user acceptance." The draft does not specify where field trials should begin.
The new office would be funded a total of $200 million through FY 2017 for the project.
Any idiot can see that it would make far more sense to simply raise the existing tax per gallon of gasoline. They claim to want to discourage the use of “fossil” fuels so why not give the advantage to high mileage vehicles? Next thing we will hear is that they want to make bicycle riders pay a per mile tax.
Expanding the Oregon method to the USA East of the Mississippi would be a total abject failure. The satellite systems simply aren't up to the job.
Here's your problem with the Obamistas. They are unable to do analytical thinking. That's why all of them are failed corporate lawyers ~ they can't bring in the bucks for the firms, and they don't know why.
Cheating at politics is something they can do and they did and there they are. Why anyone should imagine these cretans should be allowed to recommend new systems is beyond me. I hope the Republican leadership in the House understands how utterly stupid these people are.
Yup, this is gonna go over real well with the Harley Riders and the 4x4 crowd for sure. Not to mention the farmers, ranchers and of course, the drug dealers who actually make up the bulk of his inner city support base (the dopers, not the good folks I listed).
Given the stats on cell phone useage, they won't have to. Apple and Android will just funnel all of their tracking data directly to the IRS.
What’s a cell phone? :-)
Okay, so you and the other guy who doesn't have one either will be safe...
I’d like to read the study, Some folks figure if government decides to do something, technology can be bent to their will. So you have bogus ideas like firing pins with micro stamping that imprint every fired primer in a cartridge so that law enforcement can track any empty casing at a crime scene back to the owner of the gun that fired it.
Obviously many things can be done to beat micro stamping. What if the criminal uses a revolver and doesn’t dump the casings at the scene?
Problems exist with tracking the mileage cars are driven. The time to stop the idea is now. Congress needs to be inundated with info and protests.
I’m surprised how many here are jumping on the bandwagon saying the idea will work.
Sooooo, if they tax you based on how many miles you drive, does that mean they will remove the taxes on gasoline? NOT!
“Corrupt politicians, at every level of government in this country, must be investigated and prosecuted if found guilty of crimes against the American people.”
Uh. Hate to tell you. They have the judges too.
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