New gas tax that isn't going to happen - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

**Leo G** · 02-21-2009, 04:48 PM

They were talking about a new way to tax you for your road use. They were going to charge you 1/4 of a cent per mile you drove. They wanted to put a GPS tracker in your vehicle that would report your mileage driven to some device and you would pay your road use tax at that point. Or something pretty close to that.

Now the last thing I want is a GPS tracker in my vehicle that is government issued. Nothing good can come from that. And I did some calculations.

My truck gets 13 MPG and I drive on an average of 12,000 miles a year. So that means I use about 923 gallons a year. The federal gasoline tax is 18.4¢ per gallon. So I pay about $170 a year. So now they want to tax me on my mileage. .0025¢/mile is what they said. So 12,000 x .0025 is only $30. So the tax seems substantially reduced. Why would they do this? I can only see it to be a ploy to get the system installed in every vehicle before they find all kinds of different uses for them to find. Plus they could increase the taxes at a push of a button.

They wanted to use this system to improve the roads by being more fair, you use the road this much and you pay this much.

So now everyone pays the same. Where is the incentive to buy a fuel efficient car? Who wants to have a tracking device in there vehicle? Sounds like big brother to me. They have reduced there take on the taxes by a 17:3 ratio. How is it going to work for them? Looks like it should be about 1.4¢/mile.

It isn't going to happen according to the Obama administration. So it is a moot point.

But I would still like to hear you comments about it. Because I am sure this is going to come up again (and again).

ChainsawCharlie · 02-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

It isn't going to happen according to the Obama administration. So it is a moot point.

Obama said so? Do you really want to put your faith in that?

MALCO.New.York · 02-21-2009, 05:00 PM

Double Taxation????

**Leo G** · 02-21-2009, 05:03 PM

Hey, I didn't vote for the guy. But they said that they were not going to go that way. I can only believe what I hear until it is proven otherwise. Remember, this is the government we are talking about. They've never ever lied about anything to us.....

How much do you think it would cost to retrofit every vehicle in America? Sounds like they would have to start out at about 10¢/mile to make up for the implementaion startup costs.

**Leo G** · 02-21-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MALCO.New.York

Double Taxation????

It is suppose to replace the old gas tax.

One is a gasoline tax and the other is a mileage tax. No double taxation.

I was just thinking about this...If it is a GPS based system all it would take is a small pc of tinfoil to block the signal. Plus GPS is far from infallible.

neolitic · 02-21-2009, 05:21 PM

Not to spoil anybodies fun,
but here is the short version.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/...20-roads_N.htm
It;s USA Today, what else could it
be but the short version?

Governor of Oregon has some idea
about it too.

DetailHandyman · 02-21-2009, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

Who wants to have a tracking device in there vehicle?

People who have OnStar.

**Leo G** · 02-21-2009, 06:07 PM

Don't pay the bill and it is turned off.

Mellison · 02-21-2009, 06:10 PM

Boy! This whole idea creeps me out.

**Leo G** · 02-21-2009, 06:23 PM

I agree. The police already use EZ-Pass as a way to find out where you have been in a criminal investigation. All this does is tell when you go through the tool booth. But it gives a date and a time. How about your cell phone. As long as it is on, they can tell where you are within a cell range.

This was explained as a one way system. It doesn't transmit anything. It only records mileage. But I have already heard that they would charge different rates for different types of roads and for driving at different time such as rush hour. I bet it would have a MPH tracking system. You know, a cop pulls you over and plugs a device into your car and tells you that he needs to give you 8 different tickets because the device has recorded 8 infractions for speeding. I can see all kinds of uses for this technology. None of them good for the user and all of them good to get extra revenues out of us. Big brother is watching, pretty soon to be in your car too. I doubt this will go away. You should be scared.

Brickie · 02-21-2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MALCO.New.York

Double Taxation????

Yup, happens all the time. As the guy on CNBC said the other day: "It's Time for another Tea Party"

concretemasonry · 02-21-2009, 10:51 PM

The gas taxes, however they are collected are really meant to be use for road maintenance.

Somewhere, there has to be collection for the funding. The administration is left to politicians (senators and representatives - state and federal) unfortunately.

The big rigs (semis and commercial trucks) do not pay their fair share of the amount but they are also necessary for the economy, so there is some justification.

pritch · 02-21-2009, 11:08 PM

I heard about this several years ago. The justification was that since cars were getting better milage and/or people were driving less, there was less tax money coming in. Can't have that, now can we? I must be having a little bit of trouble with my eyes. I can't see a gov't tracking device lasting for very long on one of my cars.

Cdat · 02-22-2009, 08:11 AM

Yeah, disconnect the thing and have fun watching them try to connect/collect. Dumb arsed ideas by dumb arsed people. Would have to add stuff to every car and gas pump in North America. Yeah, like that is gonna' happen...

The Red · 02-22-2009, 08:53 AM

I will just be another way to support the white house Christmas.lol Dont forget the tripp to Italy.

DetailHandyman · 02-22-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pritch

The justification was that since cars were getting better milage and/or people were driving less, there was less tax money coming in.

Sounds like some weak excuse from the goverment.

Compared to 1970s, there are far more vehicles on the road, a much higher percentage of those are low mpg light trucks /SUVs, and people are driving less? Please...

Granted, we've got cars that get better mpg, but is that offsetting all of the above?

Something stinks here.

trptman · 02-23-2009, 12:47 AM

Don't forget the number one rule with government. It never goes without.

They bitch and moan and keep raising mileage standards for cars because it's better for the enviroment, better for oil dependency, etc and then what happens when they get the response they want? (more efficient cars burning less fuel), they find their tax revenues suffer, so they have to invent new ways of collecting. At the core, the gov't doesn't give a **** about most anything they say they do, they just want more money.
Money (and the power to spend that collected money) = more power for the politicians.
THATS what they care about. Don't believe me? You are naive my friends.
You'll find it's the same with these health care initiatives funded by taxes on smoking. When the number of smokers drops because of the taxes on it, you'd think they would be happy,...but MARK MY WORDS....when that happens to a sufficiant degree, they will complain that revenues are down and find different ways to tax in order to keep some program, which in turn makes it seem that they "care" which buys them votes which keeps them in power spending money.

mickeyco · 02-23-2009, 12:52 AM

This would only be for a few years until we are no longer using fossil fuel, cars will be powered by corn, windmills, solar panels and hi-tech batteries, so nothing to worry about.

.

Magnettica · 02-23-2009, 02:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

They were talking about a new way to tax you for your road use. They were going to charge you 1/4 of a cent per mile you drove. They wanted to put a GPS tracker in your vehicle that would report your mileage driven to some device and you would pay your road use tax at that point. Or something pretty close to that.

Now the last thing I want is a GPS tracker in my vehicle that is government issued. Nothing good can come from that. And I did some calculations.

My truck gets 13 MPG and I drive on an average of 12,000 miles a year. So that means I use about 923 gallons a year. The federal gasoline tax is 18.4¢ per gallon. So I pay about $170 a year. So now they want to tax me on my mileage. .0025¢/mile is what they said. So 12,000 x .0025 is only $30. So the tax seems substantially reduced. Why would they do this? I can only see it to be a ploy to get the system installed in every vehicle before they find all kinds of different uses for them to find. Plus they could increase the taxes at a push of a button.

They wanted to use this system to improve the roads by being more fair, you use the road this much and you pay this much.

So now everyone pays the same. Where is the incentive to buy a fuel efficient car? Who wants to have a tracking device in there vehicle? Sounds like big brother to me. They have reduced there take on the taxes by a 17:3 ratio. How is it going to work for them? Looks like it should be about 1.4¢/mile.

It isn't going to happen according to the Obama administration. So it is a moot point.

But I would still like to hear you comments about it. Because I am sure this is going to come up again (and again).

Can Obama get me a discount since I don't have kids that I send to school? Certainly seems fair to me since I never use them why should I have to pay for them? I know why I pay for them - quality of life. Just fix the damn road and do it now.

roof-lover · 02-23-2009, 03:05 AM

I talked about it in the

Do you use a map or GPS? thread.

It seemed not a single person was informed on it.

"New gas tax that isn't going to happen"

It is going to happen. There is going to be no one to stop them.
The average person isnt paying attention nor do they care to.
The only thoughts that pop in their tiny head is "Change", "hope",
" last 8 years", "historical moment ".
It's all they got.

The administration might say it isn't happening
while they eagerly work on the plan.
It's happening. Right now!
Meanwhile also trying to stifle free speech and take away your right to own a gun.
All legislation in the works right now.