Kulongoski to pursue mileage tax

[Chris_]

Kulongoski to pursue mileage tax

A year ago, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced it had demonstrated that a new way to pay for roads — via a mileage tax and satellite technology — could work.

Now Gov. Ted Kulongoski says he’d like the legislature to take the next step.

As part of a transportation-related bill he has filed for the 2009 legislative session, the governor says he plans to recommend “a path to transition away from the gas tax as the central funding source for transportation.”

What that means is explained on the governor’s website:

“As Oregonians drive less and demand more fuel-efficient vehicles, it is increasingly important that the state find a new way, other than the gas tax, to finance our transportation system.”

According to the policies he has outlined online, Kulongoski proposes to continue the work of the special task force that came up with and tested the idea of a mileage tax to replace the gas tax.

IOW, we're going to find a way to take your money one way or another.  The citizens will have to do with less, but never the state.   

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One has to wonder why they need to install a GPS in cars to do this.  Do they not require odometers in Oregon?

[djones520]

So...  we're gonna come up with a way to take more of your money, and track your every movement at the same time.  Yeah...  no thanks.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Aren't gas taxes already a mileage tax, or does this guy seriously think electric cars are really going to catch on outside places where cube rats commute ten miles or less to work?

[NHSparky]

Aren't gas taxes already a mileage tax, or does this guy seriously think electric cars are really going to catch on outside places where cube rats commute ten miles or less to work?

Ah, but therein lies the law of unintended consequences, because "da gub'mint" wants us all to drive fuel-efficient cars, and when we do, it screws revenues over.

Nevermind that gas taxes aren't supposed to (at least in most states) be applied to the general fund for little pet/social/feel good projects, yet strangely end up there anyway.  In NH, we found out that over 60 percent of the gas taxes which were supposed to go SOLELY for road construction and maintenance go for other stuff, so they used the "shortfall" to justify doubling the tolls all over the state, which I use to get to/from work, thanks a lot you sumbitches.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Ah, but therein lies the law of unintended consequences, because "da gub'mint" wants us all to drive fuel-efficient cars, and when we do, it screws revenues over.

Quite true, but the solution they normally adopt to that is just to jack the gas taxes up even higher.  This scheme seems almost like it was a joint lobbying effort of Microsoft, the GPS manufacturers, and whatever union represents the State public employees, because it requires a massive hardware, software, and personnel overhead...as well as not hitting any transient drivers the way a fuel tax would.  It's like they're broke so they want to invest a billions of dollars to net a few million in revenue.  Oh well, I foresee a lot of opportunity for used car dealers and salvage yards in neighboring states to profit from grey market dealing if this ever comes to pass.