California Proposes Tax On Driving

[cawimmer430]

If this ever happens it must suck if you drive a Ford Excursion 6.8 V10 in California. Or an Escalade. Or a Navigator. Or a [insert gasoline V6/V8-powered SUV/Pickup here]! 


California Proposes Tax On Driving

GPS devices would record mileage and charge drivers accordingly

A California transportation agency recently proposed what could become the most unpopular tax of all time: A tax for simply driving your car.

The Metropolitan Transportation Commission of San Francisco is behind the idea and has said that the tax would work by installing GPS units into cars to track the miles that they travel. The vehicle owners would then be charged accordingly, with low-income drivers exempted.

The hope is that a VMT (vehicle miles traveled) tax would cut down on pollution and traffic congestion, while raising funds fo things like road construction and surface repair.

Randy Rentschler, spokesman for the MTC, said that the group knew the proposal could be a longshot and could take a long time to implement. Theoretically, it could take up to a decade before the plan would be rolled out in full force.

"I don't want to say it's pie in the sky. A VMT charge is really an option for the future to be looked at and considered," he said.

Given the very low popularity gas taxes have been met with in the past, the proposed driving tax seems like a very bold move. Consumers hate frequently being reminded of taxes when they gas up, but this VMT charge would take that to a whole new level.

The Association of Bay Area Governments is slated to analyze a study of the proposal on Thursday.

California residents are sure to watch this one closely.



Link: http://autos.aol.com/article/california-proposes-tax-on-driving/

[Laconian]

[2o6]

Immoral.

[MX793]

Not the first time something like this has been suggested.  IMO, raising the state fuel taxes are a far more practical means of raising more funds for highway maintenance.  That also, by default, tends to increase the taxes on those who drive more (drive more miles, use more fuel, pay more taxes).  It also means that those in heavy vehicles which cause the most wear and tear on the roadways (and also conveniently generally get the worst fuel economy) will pay more to cover the added w&t they do to the roads per mile.  And hey, that way there's no invasion of privacy, no extra equipment to be placed in peoples' cars, no simple ways to cheat the system (short of blatant theft)....

[Payman]

Immoral.

Didn't you voluntarily put something similar in your car recently?

[AutobahnSHO]

agreed with MX793.    This other rule is just plain retarded.

But not expected from the land of Fruits and Nuts.

[2o6]

Didn't you voluntarily put something similar in your car recently?

In exchange for lower insurance rates. I took it off because it turned out to be a crock, and was pretty much a no-win proposition.

[TurboDan]

IMO, raising the state fuel taxes are a far more practical means of raising more funds for highway maintenance.

Actually, the most practical means would be actually using the money generated from the current gas tax to fund highway maintenance instead of pie-in-the-sky mass transit projects that nobody wants or, as is the case in my state, only people in certain areas of the state can use.

[cawimmer430]

Yeah, this proposed tax is retarded and also illogical in the big picture. A simple gas tax would be more logical.

But I can see the on-welfare-unemployed-person complaining since they can't drive their V8 Ford F-150 down the block to work anymore if a gas tax is introduced.

[sportyaccordy]

Yeah, this proposed tax is retarded and also illogical in the big picture. A simple gas tax would be more logical.

But I can see the on-welfare-unemployed-person complaining since they can't drive their V8 Ford F-150 down the block to work anymore if a gas tax is introduced.

We already pay gas taxes. And you don't have to be "on welfare unemployed" to have legitimate gripes with them

[SVT666]

Yeah, this proposed tax is retarded and also illogical in the big picture. A simple gas tax would be more logical.

You Euros loves taxes though.  I thought you would love a tax like this.

But I can see the on-welfare-unemployed-person complaining since they can't drive their V8 Ford F-150 down the block to work anymore if a gas tax is introduced.

If they are unemployed and on welfare, they wouldn't be driving their F-150 to work now would they?

[cawimmer430]

We already pay gas taxes.

YOU DO? 

What's the percentage rate?

[cawimmer430]

You Euros loves taxes though.  I thought you would love a tax like this.

We don't love them, but we realize that we BENEFIT from them, hence we put up with 'em.

If they are unemployed and on welfare, they wouldn't be driving their F-150 to work now would they?

I was being SARCASTIC. 

[Raza]

We have a driving tax. It's called the fuel tax.

And a government GPS system in my car?  Fuck you.

[cawimmer430]

We have a driving tax. It's called the fuel tax.

How high is the tax? Here it's more or less 70%.

[SVT666]

We have a driving tax. It's called the fuel tax.

And a government GPS system in my car?  Fuck you.

My thoughts exactly.  Whatever they attached the damn thing to would get cut the fuck off.  Even if it's frame mounted.  Cut the fucking thing off and weld a new piece of steel in place.  To avoid being caught I would just take the GPS for a ride once a week.

[TurboDan]

We have a driving tax. It's called the fuel tax.

And a government GPS system in my car?  Fuck you.

If they can make you buy health insurance, they can make you buy a Big Brother GPS box. 

[dazzleman]

We have a driving tax. It's called the fuel tax.

And a government GPS system in my car?  Fuck you.

California is going totally over the cliff.  I seriously think we should think about expelling it from the United States.

[sportyaccordy]

YOU DO? 

What's the percentage rate?

It varies from state to state. In any case, it was enough to maintain the roads here for quite some time.

And you love taxes, if you didn't you wouldn't suggest utilizing them to get people to do what you want them to (i.e. not drive big cars)

[MX793]

YOU DO? 

What's the percentage rate?

$0.184 per gallon of gasoline and $0.244 per gallon of diesel federal tax, plus whatever the individual states and even local municipalities within those states add on top of that.

[280Z Turbo]

My thoughts exactly.  Whatever they attached the damn thing to would get cut the fuck off.  Even if it's frame mounted.  Cut the fucking thing off and weld a new piece of steel in place.  To avoid being caught I would just take the GPS for a ride once a week.

I wouldn't put it on my car. Civil disobedience.

[Vinsanity]

This would never pass, but if it does, it would be enough to get me to move out. An unrelated discussion on city-data made me realize that trying to make a decent living here is becoming more futile as the days go by. Apparently, the biggest thing CA has going for it is that delusional midwesterners still come here to chase pipe dreams.

As for this GPS track-and-tax scheme, yeah, it's only in the concept stage, but it's disturbing enough that some politician is seriously thinking about it. Bad enough that they're wanting to waste our money doing a 20-year study on this shit.

[280Z Turbo]

Apparently, the biggest thing CA has going for it is that delusional midwesterners still come here to chase pipe dreams.

http://www.carspin.net/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=426

[2o6]

http://www.carspin.net/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=426

GAHAHAHA! 

[280Z Turbo]

All joking aside, I kinda miss that bastard.

[Vinsanity]

http://www.carspin.net/forums/index.php?action=profile;u=426

oh crap, that was totally unintentional

Ol' Jacob's my boy, though. More power to him and his fellow delusional midwesterners. Keep chasing that dream!

[GoCougs]

LOL - WtP want our "free" healthcare, the dope state, "reshored" jobs, 99 months of unemployment payments, mortgage bailouts, etc., and WtP actually expect the government to grant privilege for unrestricted travel? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Taxation by way of miles driven is in ALL our futures. The technology is too cheap and WtP are too desperate for the "benefits" of Big Government (= "benefits" will have their downsides).

My area has already started mileage taxation with "Good-to-Go" passes for HOV lanes and toll bridges (wireless detection of in-car sensors for those so equipped; those not equipped get their plate captured on camera and are mailed a bill - about twice the going rate if than you had the pass).

As with all immoral government action it starts with an innocuous drill such as this, usually pimped as a benefit (cutting down on traffic (i.e., GWism), paying for a new bridge). But then the mentality advances under similar auspices, usually based on race or class (hybrid drivers get a pass; which benefits the upper classes, older less efficient vehicles get nailed harder; which detriments the lower classes).

[SVT666]

GAHAHAHA! 

I'm happy for him.  Kinda jealous actually.

[Speed_Racer]

I just don't understand the way California thinks.

[SVT666]

I just don't understand the way California thinks.

They're pretty fucked up there, that's for sure.