California looking to impose a tax per mile driven

[Lithium381]

The gas tax is no longer funded because it was robbed to pay for the general funds. Now they're suggesting that a GPS be installed on all of our cars to track our miles driven and tax us between .01 and .10 per mile based on time of day. They anticipate $15 million in revenue PER DAY from the bay area alone.

Number one this is going to cost A LOT. Personally it'll be 3000/year JUST TO GO TO WORK since I commute from SJ to SF. That's not counting trips to go to the gym or shopping. They're pushing for more and more efficient cars, and then complaining when the gas tax revenue goes down.

Number two this is a HUGE privacy concern. A gps to know where i am? Big brother is here!!! Automatically send a speeding ticket if you exceed the posted limit on the freeway, etc. . . .

They're also talking about raising bridge tolls during rush hour. Further punishing those who work. public transit IS NOT AN OPTION most of the time. I used to use it going to school everyday because it was convenient. Now i've got a 2 year old and have to go shopping. I'm not going to ride the bus for something like that.

 

[IGBT]

the eco-KOOKS don't want you driving. And if you do they want it to be painful.

 

[michal1980]

have to pay for that train somehow.

 

[Ldir]

the eco-KOOKS don't want you driving. And if you do they want it to be painful.

Just shut up. You are worthless.

 

[shortylickens]

Just shut up. You are worthless.

What? Its true.

The problem isnt so much that we have eco-kooks but that they somehow keep influencing government. THATS the real issue.

 

[Ldir]

The gas tax is no longer funded because it was robbed to pay for the general funds. Now they're suggesting that a GPS be installed on all of our cars to track our miles driven and tax us between .01 and .10 per mile based on time of day. They anticipate $15 million in revenue PER DAY from the bay area alone.

Number one this is going to cost A LOT. Personally it'll be 3000/year JUST TO GO TO WORK since I commute from SJ to SF. That's not counting trips to go to the gym or shopping. They're pushing for more and more efficient cars, and then complaining when the gas tax revenue goes down.

Number two this is a HUGE privacy concern. A gps to know where i am? Big brother is here!!! Automatically send a speeding ticket if you exceed the posted limit on the freeway, etc. . . .

They're also talking about raising bridge tolls during rush hour. Further punishing those who work. public transit IS NOT AN OPTION most of the time. I used to use it going to school everyday because it was convenient. Now i've got a 2 year old and have to go shopping. I'm not going to ride the bus for something like that.

Gas taxes are falling behind with hybrids and electrics but 10 cents/mile is ridiculous. GPS also makes no sense. An odometer tracks milage without invading privacy.

 

[tw1164]

Why do they need GPS, can't they just read you odometer once a year?

 

[techs]

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/20...ould-be-tracked-by-gps-taxed-per-mile-driven/

Bay Area drivers could one day be tracked using a GPS-like device in their cars and taxed per miles driven – a scenario which is part of a proposed long-range study aimed at finding ways to reduce traffic and pollution, while also raising revenues.

Members of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments are scheduled to vote on Thursday on whether or not to authorize a study of the proposal. Under the plan, drivers would have to install trackers in their vehicle and officials would tax drivers for every mile they travel.



Bullshit thread is full of bullshit.

The reason for the idea to study this kind of tax is because as Americans drive less in more fuel efficient cars many states no longer get enough money from the gas tax to maintain their roads and bridges.

So, I guess the alternatives are increasing the gas tax a lot or the income tax, sales tax etc.

 

[Ldir]

What? Its true.

The problem isnt so much that we have eco-kooks but that they somehow keep influencing government. THATS the real issue.

He hasn't said anything true in 15,000 posts. It's always the same stupid yapping against eco-this and eco-that. This is about money, not eco-anything.

 

[gevorg]

a GPS be installed on all of our cars to track our miles driven and tax us

Bullshit, the real reason is Big Brother.

 

[IGBT]

you can expect the eco-KOOKS to punitively tax any energy producing/using behavior to further their utopian tyranny agenda. They use "resource" boards and kangaroo courts run and operated by unelected "officials" that make rules that negatively impact your livelihood. eco-KOOKS need to be removed from the public policy loop.

 

[techs]

Bullshit, the real reason is Big Brother.

Yes, that is one part of my opposition to this. It could be monitored by odometer type devices as easily.
The other thing that I am wondering about is whether the tax would take into account the weight of the vehicle. Small fuel efficient cars should be taxed less since they don't pollute as much, are easier on roads and don't contribute to the balance of payments problem.

 

[woodie1]

Why do they need GPS, can't they just read you odometer once a year?

That would seem to be a more better solution.

 

[1prophet]

Gas taxes are falling behind with hybrids and electrics but 10 cents/mile is ridiculous. GPS also makes no sense. An odometer tracks milage without invading privacy.

GPS does make sense since odometer rollbacks would be useless.

 

[JS80]

I support this. Poor people need to pay more taxes. Sorry, I mean poor people need to start paying taxes.

 

[crownjules]

I support this. Poor people need to pay more taxes. Sorry, I mean poor people need to start paying taxes.

Poor people take the bus.

 

[Lithium381]

Why do they need GPS, can't they just read you odometer once a year?

I thought about that but what if i take a road trip to texas, now i'm driving 1000's miles NOT in california but being taxed for it

 

[berzerker60]

If true, this would be pretty regressive policy. The poor are much less likely to be able to afford to live near their jobs, and public transit in the Bay Area and LA (not to mention the rest of the state) is sketchy at best. The poor also benefit less from roads than do businesses whose client traffic and supply lines are made possible by them, yet this wouldn't tax those businesses at all for what they're getting out of the system.

On a kind of interesting side note, this would also totally push everyone into Amazon's arms with their increasing delivery options, meaning that Walmart and every other brick-and-mortar store would be strongly against this.

Also, yes, living closer to where you work is better for anyone who cares about clear air and water AND/OR doesn't like sitting in traffic for a commute for hours. How is that something that causes such anger and vitriol here? It's better for everyone if we had efficient, clean public transit options, fewer people drove, and people lived nearer where they work.

 

[waggy]

I thought about that but what if i take a road trip to texas, now i'm driving 1000's miles NOT in california but being taxed for it

this is why they will say they need GPS. to make sure you are paying tax on only CA roads.

Bullshit, the real reason is Big Brother.

and this is the real reason for it

 

[sactoking]

California gets tens of millions of out-of-state visitors and vehicles each year. Good luck forcing them to GPS-up as soon as they cross the state line...

 

[BoomerD]

Don't blame this on "California." It's not the state that's floating this idea, it's the Bay Area governments...and it's NOT the first time it's popped up over the years. They'd LOVE to find a way to tax the folks who commute in/out of the bay for work too.

 

[Lithium381]

California gets tens of millions of out-of-state visitors and vehicles each year. Good luck forcing them to GPS-up as soon as they cross the state line...

excellent point that I never even thought of . . heaven forbid if they're driving *gasp* electric vehicles and don't pay our gas tax while they're here.



Boomer is correct as far as i can tell, it is a bay area thing for now, but as soon as it's proven successful @ $15mil/day i'm sure other communities will jump on the wagon!

 

[chucky2]

I'd actually be for this nationally. Use modern day tech to solve modern day problems. Just have to make sure the system and results are inaccessible by anyone other than DOT.

Chuck

 

[Lithium381]

I'd actually be for this nationally. Use modern day tech to solve modern day problems. Just have to make sure the system and results are inaccessible by anyone other than DOT.

Chuck

so the modern day problem that you're trying to solve here is "bloated government spending"?

i dont' know how they're going to prove it if i left the GPS at home, i could just say i rode my bike that day . . . . .simply put the GPS is a severe invasion of privacy

 

[Doppel]

It makes sense to tax for mile driven instead of gas consumption in an age of increasing EV and hybrid tech (even if the former is statistically irrelevant so far).