Scary stuff happening in Oregon

[MissMillie]

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001972174_mileagetax05m.html

You know, I love the idea cleaner air and lower oil imports, but a GPS in every vehicle?

Why isn't the gas tax enough? Doesn't this punish people who drive cars that get good gas mileage?

[22181]

1. Well, I'm about to buy a hybrid...

The very first part of the article discusses why the gas tax might one day not be enough. And while I don't like the idea of being charged a tax on the miles that I drive, I do hope that a majority of US vehicles will one day be hybrids or Saudi-Arabian-oil-dependent-free. And the pragmatist in me says that we've got to fund road and state infrastructure somehow... If no one's buying gas (one can dream) then something else must take its place to generate state revenue.

[Tellurian]

2. A preemptive strike on fuel conservation...

the usual expected punishment for thwarting new enterprise from mainstreaming alternative fuel sources. If your burning salad oil in your diesel engine, you've skirted the gas tax levied at the pump!

[Tellurian]

10. Ha! Just thought of this...

In a pinch, I can buy my (salad oil) car fuel at the supermarket.

I don't know if this is true all over but there isn't any tax on food...Fuel would be, Tax Free.

[StandUpGuy]

13. Total Horseshit !

Like buying Cd's on-line at $.99 per song
NONE of the savings the producers get from the on-line distribution system ( no manufacturing, shipping, or retail costs) are being passed on to the consumer.

Any municipality or region that implemented fuel efficiency and alternative fuel would reap a windfall in savings that would more than make up for fuel tax loses.

Just think about every city vehicle getting double the mileage they currently get. The money saved could be put to into road repairs, which would be a hell of a lot more than the tax on the difference.

[Tellurian]

17. Yeah, but what about the Federal Tax on gasoline...

No revenue for the feds..

capish?

[fishwax]

22. you trying to say capisce?

Don't do that -- my ears hurt when you do that.

(No offense, I was just channeling the movie My Blue Heaven :) )

[Tellurian]

23. hmm, no- I was trying to say..

capish...

<sorry, if I hurt your tender ears...> :evilgrin:

[xocolatl]

3. A mileage tax would punish fuel-efficiency (n/t)

[denverbill]

4. That's the dumbest idea I've heard in a while.

What the hell is wrong with just raising gas taxes?

If everyone starts driving cars that get 60 mpg instead of 30 mpg, the state will lose 1/2 of it's tax revenue, so double the gas tax. People will still be saving money cause they are using less gasoline, and the people wasting the most gas will pay the largest amount in.

[Lars39]

5. I wonder how this will fly once the big companies that rely

on traveling sales folks realize that they will probably have to pay a bundle per vehicle? I expect there will be some fierce lobbying for exemptions. Pharma companies could potentially be hit pretty hard.

[yellowcanine]

6. Good gas mileage isn't enough - We need to drive less also - or at least

get more people per car mile per gallon. GPS could be used to charge tolls for traveling into large cities and thus provide an economic incentive to leave cars outside the city and travel downtown using mass transit. Of course there are privacy issues but privacy can be protected with proper safeguards.

[el_gato]

7. Just a stealth mode for requiring all vehilcles to have gps

before you know it they'll require you to wear a personal GPS so
they can track your every move.

Of course they'll say it's to help society

[Media_Lies_Daily]

21. You've hit it right on the head....all part of the NeoCon plan.

[tom_paine]

8. "there is little difference in the waer and tear they inflict on the roads

:wtf: :wtf: :grr: :wtf:

THAT's a LIE!

No difference between a Range Rover and a Honda Civic in road damage caused?

I would have to see some proof in order to believe this LIE, but it's an obvious and Orwellian lie.

Yup. No difference between a Range Rover and a bicycle, on wear and tear of the road issues.

[GreenArrow]

16. yep

that struck me as being just a wee bit dishonest as well.

[Blue Wally]

24. There is a difference............

in road damage caused by a heavier vehicle. The difference between a Land Rover and a Ford focus isn't really measurable though. Now an eighteen wheeler semi (even if under legal maximum weight har-de-har-har) really tears up the road. If we banned any vehicle larger than, say, a Ford Excretion from the roads, they would virtually last forever. We need to get the long haul semis off of our highways and on to flat cars behind locomotives. Steel wheel on steel rail is the most fuel efficient transport.

[TriMetFan]

9. Hey I live here in Oregon

And either you have a freaking SUV or some little car. Alot of people have started to buy those hybrid cars. I plan on buying one in the next year or so. Also we have been loosing a lot of money here. Our public schools suck, government services suck etc. No one wants to pay tax's, but the state keeps growing. To tell the truth I don't care if I had to pay extra for having a smaller car here, BUT I just don't know about that GPS thing on my car for the State to keep track. BIG BROTHER WATCHING. I have a GPS on my bus, but that is for work.

[Tellurian]

11. Cool link on hybrids.. 61 mpg isn't hard to take!

http://www.hybridcars.com/

[RichardRay]

12. You don't want it, don't get it

The article points out that there is no mandate to have a GPS equipped vehicle to support the plan. If you feel that the gas tax is more equitable keep paying it.

Personally, I'd get the GPS and reduce my miles driven with careful planning and increased use of public transportation. Then I'd pay less than I do currently.

The plan is also an excellent example of paying for what you get. Your presence on the highway, whether you're driving a Honda Civic or a Range Rover, impacts my use of the resource just about the same, so I don't see anything wrong with charging the same for either one. You don't want to drive on the highways you don't have to pay for them.

Note that defeating the GPS tracking device will be relatively easy. Anybody who's ever used GPS would know that....

Richard Ray - Jackson Hole, WY

[Guaranteed]

14. No, this is a GOOD thing. It's EVEN MORE PRESSURE

on the SUV driving, gas guzzling bastards.

It is a regressive tax, but ultimately this is good. It'll push people to conserve.

[GreenArrow]

15. not exactly...

If I read it right, it actually seems to punish people who drive more fuel efficient cars. They should just keep the gas tax and raise it across the board. Now THAT will put pressure on the SUV owners.

[Tellurian]

18. Yes, Green Arrow.. I read it the same way..

actually the smarmy government is looking for ways to tax the people who have elected to use alternative, non polluting, fuel sources..

I sort of like the idea of going to the Super Stop & Shop, purchasing a gallon of Mazola and driving 60 non-polluting miles.

[BlueCollar]

19. why not just a toll for using the road?

My SUV pays its share in taxes...

[Massacure]

20. Just raise the gas tax -- forced GPS is an invasion of privacy.