Taxed by the mile - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LUVMBDiesels · #16 02-20-2009, 11:31 AM

What happened to all the 'free money' the stimulus bill was going to spend on infrastructure? You mean we will really have to PAY for improvements?

If they REPLACE the gas tax with a mileage tax that would not be so bad. However, I bet they will just add it to the existing taxes.

Oh and how about this? Instead of a fancy GPS, how about just taking the mileage from the odometer? All of us driving 20 year old cars with VDO speedos will have to pay nothing!

MS Fowler · #17 02-20-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

That's been taken for decades. There's nothing there.
Besides, SS rightfully belongs to those that paid into it.

Our elected class thinks that SS is an endless supply for their personal use

mgburg · #18 02-20-2009, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

The highway infrastructure needs constant maintenence. With drivers using less fuel and the advent of cars that use no fuel, revenue has fallen short of what is needed. ... What do you nay sayers propose? That our highways just continue to deteriorate? Raise fuel taxes while the public moves to electric cars?

I've got a novel idea...

How 'bout we take the money that is collected as tax on fuel and put it towards the items that fuel is use on...like the roads.

We've got a Govenor (Doyle (D)) that took over $400 Million from the Transportation Fund and GAVE it to the Teachers' Union...a big kiss and thank you for getting his sorry @55 re-elected during the last election-cycle/budget.

No one in our state had the 'nads to sue to get the money put back in the appropriate area...and I'm sure that that little item is not a very isolated example of what's going on around the country...

Then the I-35 Bridge collapsed in Minneapolis/St. Paul and now everyone is scared. Now they say they need big bucks to fix the infrastructure...no kidding. Ignore the problem, don't budget ANY MONEY for maintenance and when roads start to fall apart from either neglect or proper due-dilligence on the part of regular maintenance, it's the tax-payers that have to come to the rescue 'cause our "leaders" don't know the difference between a doughnut hole and their own back-hole...

You know what should really be done?

Take whatever tax that is being collected, eliminate the "General Fund" and apply the tax to whatever item/area it was originally designed to pay for.

Welfare/Social programs would go to hell and rightfully so...if those programs are so needed and required, then go to the source of where this crap is being generated and tax them...the "General Fund" (GF) is a big bowl where wuss-legislators go to get money 'cause they don't have the brains or fortitude to think a problem through and fix it...they just "dip" into the GF, throw the dollars at the problem, expect a pat on the back and no one is worse off...only better...or so they think....

Here's something to think about...What's the condition of the GF where you live?

Pretty sad? Almost scary?

Guess what? Everyone's been so busy drinking from, and pissing into, that well, that there's hardly any money left...so they've been transferring funds from other sources to keep the rats alive...otherwise they won't get the votes they need to keep their sorry butts in their comfy-chairs.

Term limits with the provision of non-governmental contracts/work after your term ends might start us on down the road to saving this Republic.

If we can limit the terms of Presidents, I don't see where the harm is in limiting the legislative branch of the Republic...we already know what is occuring because you can keep someone (good and bad, outstanding citizen and near-felon) in power too long. This might be the one tub of bath water and baby that can be thrown out...we know this baby is too ugly to keep. Besides, if abortion is OK, then let's apply the same logic to them and the current cesspool of problems we are experiencing right now...abort their @55es, rinse out the tub and apply some new, common sense logic where it's been lacking for so long...

awsrock · #19 02-20-2009, 11:42 AM

Just slap 5 or ten cents on to each gallon of gas..

So what, you have to pay an extra 50 cnets to a dollar per fill up. Why do you think fuel is so expensive in europe! Tax!

Nobody is driving electric cars, nor do I think that enough people will be in the near future that would necessitate forcing us all to record our mileage. So even if 10% of America drives a Prius, there are still 20% of us driving useless SUVs..it should still even out. Fuel mileage hasn't gotten that much better over the last 10 years...I'd say with the SUV craze, the average mpg of America is probably down!

Just more government bs, if you ask me.

Chas H · #20 02-20-2009, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

Our elected class thinks that SS is an endless supply for their personal use

This is a thread about the use of GPS to assess road use taxes. Start another about SS if you wish.

dynalow · #21 02-20-2009, 11:57 AM

Nobody here concerned about the invasion of privacy thingy we hear so much bellyaching over?
"I don't mind if Govt. monitors me for every mile in my car, but I object that if I get a phone call from Tora Bora you might listen in?"

Big Brother indeed! Next step: automtic speeding tickets from space!

Hal? Hal? HAL?

My take: A trial baloon made of lead.

Chas H · #22 02-20-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awsrock

Just slap 5 or ten cents on to each gallon of gas..

So what, you have to pay an extra 50 cnets to a dollar per fill up. Why do you think fuel is so expensive in europe! Tax!

Nobody is driving electric cars, nor do I think that enough people will be in the near future that would necessitate forcing us all to record our mileage. So even if 10% of America drives a Prius, there are still 20% of us driving useless SUVs..it should still even out. Fuel mileage hasn't gotten that much better over the last 10 years...I'd say with the SUV craze, the average mpg of America is probably down!

Just more government bs, if you ask me.

The tax on fuel in Europe generally pays for health care. How much a month do you pay in healthcare/insurance?
If taxes were raised, I think more drivers would drive less and more would consider the purchase of an electric car. Both of these results are actually a benefit, but both would reduce tax revenue.

Chas H · #23 02-20-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dynalow

Nobody here concerned about the invasion of privacy thingy we hear so much bellyaching over?
"I don't mind if Govt. monitors me for every mile in my car, but I object that if I get a phone call from Tora Bora you might listen in?"

Privacy is certainly a consideration.
The constitution provides for the government intruding into our privacy, but requires a warrant to do so. Anyone favoring warrantless wiretaps shouldn't have a problem with being tracked by the g'ment.

iwrock · #24 02-20-2009, 12:09 PM

Oops, I accidently cut the wire for the GPS transmitter while installing my alarm....

Chas H · #25 02-20-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwrock

Oops, I accidently cut the wire for the GPS transmitter while installing my alarm....

Cars without a GPS would pay a penalty at the pump.
The biggest obstacle I see to a tax by mile would be the oil companies. They would be required to install a GPS reader on every pump and a device that adjusts the tax accordingly. And the station owner would be required to submit regular documentation that the correct tax had been collected and paid to the g'ment.

awsrock · #26 02-20-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

The tax on fuel in Europe generally pays for health care. How much a month do you pay in healthcare/insurance?
If taxes were raised, I think more drivers would drive less and more would consider the purchase of an electric car. Both of these results are actually a benefit, but both would reduce tax revenue.

They could easily tax 10 cents more and nobody would even notice. Of course they would be outraged if they told them in advance.

There aren't any electric cars to be bought! Even if the Volt or whatever actually gets produced, it's not like everyone is going to have a mass sell off and go buy one. People are already paying a ton for fuel in Europe...they just buy diesel. Most of their diesels are equal to, if not better, on fuel than any hybrid we have access to (minus the old Insight)

Point being, maybe this might be a viable option in like 10 years, but certainly not until then. They'll be making plenty. Until there are so many fully electric cars on the road that it actually starts to have an impact on the government's income, it's pointless.

I don't want some dumb government GPS in my car, following me around everywhere.

aklim · #27 02-20-2009, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

Sounds good to me.
What would make up the short fall in the non-road maintenance projects?

A report or two I read had them spending 40 cents on the dollar for NON-road maintenance projects. How about a middle ground. When they can show me that every dollar they collect is spent on road maintenance projects and not budget balancing, etc, etc, and they are still short I will be more than happy to entertain the idea of having more taxes to pay for road maintenance.

Chas H · #28 02-20-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

A report or two I read had them spending 40 cents on the dollar for NON-road maintenance projects. How about a middle ground. When they can show me that every dollar they collect is spent on road maintenance projects and not budget balancing, etc, etc, and they are still short I will be more than happy to entertain the idea of having more taxes to pay for road maintenance.

That's another issue. And one that is not likely to be corrected.
But maybe having a the tax come from a new source will change the way it is used.

aklim · #29 02-20-2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chas H

But maybe having a the tax come from a new source will change the way it is used.

Only if you believe in Unicorns. How about your state's Tobacco Windfall money? They spent big bucks getting attorney's to sue Big Tobacco promising us that the money will be spent keeping and getting kids off tobacco. You see that happening much?

SS was supposed to be used for what again? What is it actually being used for?

There is a pattern that all your good hope will not break. Like I said before, if I can fire you for being incompetent, I will. If I cannot I will have to put up with you (govt). But if I have to put up with you, I certainly will not give you anything more to manage. After all, why put the druggie in charge of the pharmacy keys and hope he will not steal?

Matt L · #30 02-20-2009, 12:52 PM

My car hardly damages the roads at all. I recall reading that one 80K-lb rig causes roughly the same damage as six thousand passenger cars. I recall reading on the back of a trailer, "This vehicle pays $4xxx in fuel taxes every year." If the taxes were proportional to damage, it would mean that I should pay roughly seventy-five cents a year in fuel taxes.