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Author Topic: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles  (Read 2922 times)

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Offline Chris

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Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« on: April 29, 2009, 11:49:12 PM »
Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
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Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., said he believes the technology exists to implement a mileage tax. He said he sees no point in waiting years for the results of pilot programs since such a tax system is inevitable as federal gasoline tax revenues decline.

"Why do we need a pilot program? Why don't we just phase it in?" said Oberstar, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman. Oberstar is drafting a six-year transportation bill to fund highway and transit programs that is expected to total around a half trillion dollars.

"I think it can be done in far less than that, maybe two years," Oberstar said at a House hearing. He was responding to testimony by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who recommended that the transportation bill include pilot programs in every state to test the viability of a mileage-based tax.

The tax would entail equipping vehicles with GPS technology to determine how many miles a car has been driven and whether on interstate highways or secondary roads. The devices would also calculate the amount of tax owed.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/04/28/ap6349972.html

Greedy bastards. :censored:
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Offline Celtic Rose

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #1 on: April 30, 2009, 12:23:24 AM »
Honestly, how to they justify this sort of tax to themselves.  :censored:  What are they going to do when tax revenues go down again once people decrease their driving even more to avoid this tax?  Stick pedometers on us and charge us by the step?
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Offline Chris

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #2 on: April 30, 2009, 12:24:38 AM »
Quote from: Celtic Rose on April 30, 2009, 12:23:24 AM
Honestly, how to they justify this sort of tax to themselves.  :censored:  What are they going to do when tax revenues go down again once people decrease their driving even more to avoid this tax?  Stick pedometers on us and charge us by the step?

Maybe they should stick one of those GPS devices on Nancy Pelosi's plane.  Tax Congress and see how they like it.
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Offline Mike220

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #3 on: April 30, 2009, 12:25:42 AM »
I'd rip that shit out of my car so fast, they wouldn't have time to say "Stop!"  :bird:

These fools have been playing with a lot of matches and gasoline... If they keep it up, it may turn into a fire they can't control.
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Offline Mike220

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #4 on: April 30, 2009, 12:26:29 AM »
Quote from: Celtic Rose on April 30, 2009, 12:23:24 AM
Stick pedometers on us and charge us by the step?

Don't give them any ideas. They just might. I'm waiting for the tax on the "privilege" of breathing.
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Offline franksolich

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2009, 06:55:09 AM »
How much does anyone want to bet it's going to turn out with both retaining the gasoline tax, and instituting this new mileage tax?

One gets the impression the Democrats want to give the impression a mileage tax would replace the gasoline tax, much like the practice of claiming other new state taxes will replace, or at least lower, property taxes.

It never happens.  A tax meant to replace one tax inevitably means both the old tax, and the new tax, are imposed.

These are Democrats, after all.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2009, 07:31:18 AM »
Quote from: Mike220 on April 30, 2009, 12:26:29 AM
Don't give them any ideas. They just might. I'm waiting for the tax on the "privilege" of breathing.
Ah, the Exhale Tax.  Carbon dioxide is now eeeevil, don'tcha know.   :whatever:
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2009, 07:33:48 AM »
Quote from: Celtic Rose on April 30, 2009, 12:23:24 AM
Honestly, how to they justify this sort of tax to themselves.  :censored:  What are they going to do when tax revenues go down again once people decrease their driving even more to avoid this tax?  Stick pedometers on us and charge us by the step?
That want us all jammed into the big cities.  Big cities are liberal havens.  Living in the country isn't "P.C." according to liberals. Eff 'em...I like living in the country.
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Offline JohnnyReb

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2009, 08:30:25 AM »
Quote from: lug-nut on April 30, 2009, 07:33:48 AM
That want us all jammed into the big cities.  Big cities are liberal havens.  Living in the country isn't "P.C." according to liberals. Eff 'em...I like living in the country.


....and the DUmmies book that makes you a dumb country bumpkin.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say HEY! to all my fellow country bumpkins....We're living large, ain't we.
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Offline DumbAss Tanker

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2009, 08:35:05 AM »
I foresee a booming business in tampering with these suckers if they ever are installed.  They'd probably add about $350 to the price of every new car and run about $500 per vehicle to retrofit, too.
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Offline thundley4

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2009, 09:03:37 AM »
I'm waiting for the day that "OnStar*" like devices are required on all vehicles along with government monitored GPS devices.  It's not a far stretch considering that many businesses already use GPS to track their vehicles.

They could even get to the point of using GPS to enforce speed limits .
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Offline Ree

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2009, 09:28:34 AM »
This dude's district is the boonies:
Is he stoned or just frikkin stupid?
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Offline Wineslob

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2009, 10:17:38 AM »
Quote from: Ree on April 30, 2009, 09:28:34 AM
This dude's district is the boonies:
Is he stoned or just frikkin stupid?

Probably both.

****in idjit Dem, the turnip is out of blood.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #13 on: April 30, 2009, 11:47:25 AM »
Quote from: JohnnyReb on April 30, 2009, 08:30:25 AM
....and the DUmmies book that makes you a dumb country bumpkin.

I'd like to take this opportunity to say HEY! to all my fellow country bumpkins....We're living large, ain't we.
My carbon footprint is approx 10 acres.   :-)
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2009, 11:52:31 AM »
Quote from: thundley4 on April 30, 2009, 09:03:37 AM
I'm waiting for the day that "OnStar*" like devices are required on all vehicles along with government monitored GPS devices.  It's not a far stretch considering that many businesses already use GPS to track their vehicles.

They could even get to the point of using GPS to enforce speed limits .
I saw one of the state proposals to do this a while back.  They wanted to install a gps tracking unit in cars.  At the gas pump, the pump would read a RFID in the gps and adjust the tax rate accordingly before you can fill your tank depending on how far you drive.  I suppose if you spent a lot of time idling in traffic, the gas would be pretty cheap.  Also, why a GPS?  The same thing could be accomplished with a digital odometer.  You don't need a GPS to tell how far you've been.
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #15 on: April 30, 2009, 12:01:58 PM »
Quote from: thundley4 on April 30, 2009, 09:03:37 AM
I'm waiting for the day that "OnStar*" like devices are required on all vehicles along with government monitored GPS devices.  It's not a far stretch considering that many businesses already use GPS to track their vehicles.

They could even get to the point of using GPS to enforce speed limits .

It'll never hold up in court.  Not for private vehicles.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #16 on: April 30, 2009, 12:05:17 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on April 30, 2009, 12:01:58 PM
It'll never hold up in court.  Not for private vehicles.
Didn't some rental car company try that a while back...or was that just an internet rumor?
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Offline thundley4

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #17 on: April 30, 2009, 12:08:18 PM »
Quote from: lug-nut on April 30, 2009, 11:52:31 AM
I saw one of the state proposals to do this a while back.  They wanted to install a gps tracking unit in cars.  At the gas pump, the pump would read a RFID in the gps and adjust the tax rate accordingly before you can fill your tank depending on how far you drive.  I suppose if you spent a lot of time idling in traffic, the gas would be pretty cheap.  Also, why a GPS?  The same thing could be accomplished with a digital odometer.  You don't need a GPS to tell how far you've been.


GPS would allow them to know exactly where everyone is and where they have been.  Much better for keeping track of us right wing extremists.
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2009, 12:10:03 PM »
Quote from: lug-nut on April 30, 2009, 12:05:17 PM
Didn't some rental car company try that a while back...or was that just an internet rumor?


There are several smaller ones who do just that.  Penalize you for speeding over a certain limit (80 seems to stick in my mind at the moment).  Also, the statement that they could and would fine you for speeding excessively was in the rental agreement.

There is a significant difference between RENTING a car with one and buying one for your use from a dealer.  The rental agreement is a contract, with whatever stipulations or conditions the company wants to put on the consumer.  Too many conditions, the customer goes elsewhere.  The rental company isn't wrong to put them on for several reasons--people who don't return cars, excessive wear and tear, etc...

But for the government to track your movements via GPS is an invasion of at the very least Fourth Amendment rights and quite possibly First Amendment.  At least that's the approach I'd take were I a lawyer.  Then again, people don't realize how easily they can be tracked by something as simple as leaving their cell phone on.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2009, 12:18:09 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on April 30, 2009, 12:10:03 PM
There are several smaller ones who do just that.  Penalize you for speeding over a certain limit (80 seems to stick in my mind at the moment).  Also, the statement that they could and would fine you for speeding excessively was in the rental agreement.

There is a significant difference between RENTING a car with one and buying one for your use from a dealer.  The rental agreement is a contract, with whatever stipulations or conditions the company wants to put on the consumer.  Too many conditions, the customer goes elsewhere.  The rental company isn't wrong to put them on for several reasons--people who don't return cars, excessive wear and tear, etc...

But for the government to track your movements via GPS is an invasion of at the very least Fourth Amendment rights and quite possibly First Amendment.  At least that's the approach I'd take were I a lawyer.  Then again, people don't realize how easily they can be tracked by something as simple as leaving their cell phone on.

Upon further research:

Quote
State puts brakes on GPS speeding fines

A Connecticut group has sided on behalf of consumers in a case where a driver was fined for speeding in a car outfitted with a global positioning system.
The state's Department of Consumer Protection sided with renters against car rental company Acme Rent-a-Car, of New Haven. In an administrative complaint filed against the car rental company on Monday, the department charged Acme with violating state law when it fined drivers who exceeded the posted speed limit while driving a rental car.

Acme installs global positioning system (GPS) in its cars to find stolen rental cars and charge customers for "dangerous" conduct. When a rental customer drives faster than the posted speed limit, that information is sent to the company.

"We alleged they have violated Connecticut law," the department's commissioner, James T. Fleming, said. "There is no legal ability for them to charge a penalty when there has been no damage."


MORE
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #20 on: May 01, 2009, 08:21:40 AM »
Fair enough.  But don't companies have a right to choose who and who they don't do business with based on how the CUSTOMER behaves or treats company property?  One would think they should.

JMHO.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #21 on: May 01, 2009, 11:05:47 AM »
Quote from: NHSparky on May 01, 2009, 08:21:40 AM
Fair enough.  But don't companies have a right to choose who and who they don't do business with based on how the CUSTOMER behaves or treats company property?  One would think they should.

JMHO.
You'd think so, but I'm sure some a$$clown with a driving record a mile long would scream discrimination if he didn't get to rent a car somewhere. 
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #22 on: May 01, 2009, 11:12:55 AM »
Quote from: lug-nut on May 01, 2009, 11:05:47 AM
You'd think so, but I'm sure some a$$clown with a driving record a mile long would scream discrimination if he didn't get to rent a car somewhere. 

Scream all you want, but they DO check.  And IMHO, if you have so many tickets or serious violations, you either take the mandatory insurance or you don't get a car.

Why do you think so many companies won't rent to those under 25?  One word--INSURANCE.  And of those that do, the surcharges can be absolutely insane.
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Offline rich_t

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #23 on: May 01, 2009, 01:25:14 PM »
Quote from: NHSparky on April 30, 2009, 12:01:58 PM
It'll never hold up in court.  Not for private vehicles.

Not yet anyway......
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Offline NHSparky

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Re: Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
« Reply #24 on: May 01, 2009, 01:26:11 PM »
Quote from: rich_t on May 01, 2009, 01:25:14 PM
Not yet anyway......

And the day it does...
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