Driving Tax

**jackie5275** · May-18-11, 08:59 AM

I remember when this was being discussed a few years ago in Oregon. Apparently, it has already started as a pilot program there. Haven't heard much about it's success or not. I'm sure the pros & cons of this will be debated around how to tax, is it better than the gasoline tax, and the mass transit & go green fans will use it a something to rally around for arguing in favor of everyone getting & using mass transit in order to avoid being charged a driving tax & saving the environment at the same time.

However, beyond these issues, I myself have some privacy & personal freedom issues with this idea. On the privacy side of it, I really don't want to report to the gov't or have the gov't use some kind of remote control device tapping into my vehicle to determine the number of miles I've driven to determine my tax bill. What else would the gov't do with this mileage usage info? Would they give me a radius area where I'm allowed to drive only? Would they say you can only drive xxx miles a month & be charged xx tax rate? If you drive xxxx miles a month would you be charged a higher tax rate? Would they say someone driving an SUV can drive only xxx miles a month, while somone driving a compact car can drive xxxx miles a month?

These kinds of questions lead into my other concern about personal freedom. I see this idea, if imposed would be a restriction on my freedom of movement. The way I see it, I'm essentially being taxed when I move by car. In order to lower my tax bill, I'm only going to do essential driving such as my commute to work and extremely local shopping. I won't be able to do any driving for leisure purposes. I'm not talking the "let's go for a drive" leisure purposes, but driving for leisure activities. For example, I may want to meet a friend to shop at 12 Oaks. Right now, I have no problem doing that. However, if a driving tax is imposed, I'm more likely to shop by myself at Fairlane as it's signficantly closer to my house or even just shop online. I won't drive to the movies, but order something from Netflix. I won't drive to Belle Isle or Hines Park. I'll sit in my backyard instead. You get the idea. It's kind of restricting you from being able to travel about by car. Anybody else have other thoughts? Anybody else hear how it's going in Oregon?

http://money.cnn.com/2011/05/18/news...tm?iid=Popular

ferntruth · May-18-11, 03:44 PM

The mass transit nuts on DYes will love this.

For those of us who continue to live in the real world, I think what you say has some merit. People will avoid the tax by doing as you suggested [[online shopping, Netflix, etc.)
That will really help the local economy!

**oladub** · May-18-11, 06:22 PM

If everyone could be persuaded to buy a Prius or Volt or take a bus to work, the cost of building roads and bridges and keeping them plowed would remain pretty much constant. Government would still need nearly the same revenue flow to maintain it's transportation system. A once a year stop at the DMV to record mileage, or how about the nearest police or fire station, seems like a fair way of raising taxes to build an maintain roads.

Some states charge huge registration fees while others have high gas taxes. This would just be a third method of paying for roads. Since electric cars need roads and bridges as well as plowing, it is only fair that they be taxed too.

**Meddle** · May-18-11, 07:25 PM

Some states charge huge registration fees while others have high gas taxes. This would just be a third method of paying for roads.

Don't forget bridge and road tolls.

lilpup · May-18-11, 08:43 PM

Some of us drive for a living but aren't in a position to pass along any tax. Fuck us, I guess.

**jerrytimes** · May-18-11, 10:18 PM

There is already a driving tax. Many actually. Gas is taxed, license plate tabs are a tax, sales tax that you pay on your car when you buy it is a tax ect.... These Liberal morons in our government need to be removed.

**wolverine** · May-18-11, 11:21 PM

Well there's already gas taxes.

Any other types of fees or taxes imposed are where cars really become a hassle.

In big cities, cars sit in the same spot on the street for weeks on end. Where parking is scarce, you can't just claim public property as your own, so people have to pay for it through city vehicle registration fees or parking passes. There's also congestion pricing to alleviate traffic and motivate more people take public transit.

I'm not in favor of congestion pricing or any sort of additional "driving tax," but I think vehicle registration fees and parking stickers are acceptable.

**Papasito** · May-19-11, 06:49 AM

Where will it end?

Is there any stopping the Government from how far they will go?

**jackie5275** · May-19-11, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by jerrytimes

There is already a driving tax. Many actually. Gas is taxed, license plate tabs are a tax, sales tax that you pay on your car when you buy it is a tax ect.... These Liberal morons in our government need to be removed.

I don't agree that these are all driving taxes. These are more so vehicle ownership related taxes. This driving tax will be based on the mileage you rack up in any gov't stated time period. From what I can determine, it would be in addition to the other taxes already in place.