"Oregon officials propose per-mile tax for gas sippers"

[philnotfil]

:)

kpic.com (http://www.kpic.com/news/local/185498072.html)

Oregon state officials are proposing an alternative tax for drivers who have bought efficient or electric vehicles that seldom or never stop at the gasoline pump, where government has traditionally collected money to build and fix roads.

But the auto-making industry calls the idea of mileage taxes another roadblock for its efficient vehicles, the Salem Statesman Journal reports.

In its upcoming session, the Oregon Legislature is expected to consider a bill to require drivers with a vehicle getting at least 55 miles per gallon of gasoline or its equivalent to pay a per-mile tax after 2015.

I'm about 99% sure that this won't pass, but mind-boggling that they are even trying it.

[rivergator]

:)

kpic.com (http://www.kpic.com/news/local/185498072.html)



I'm about 99% sure that this won't pass, but mind-boggling that they are even trying it.


It's an interesting situation. We pay for roads thru gas taxes. If we do switch to more electric vehicles, we won't be collecting the taxes, but still need the roads.

[philnotfil]

It's an interesting situation. We pay for roads thru gas taxes. If we do switch to more electric vehicles, we won't be collecting the taxes, but still need the roads.

What percentage of cars on the road are electric, or even hybrid?

Do we want to encourage more electric and hybrid cars, or discourage their use?

[rivergator]

What percentage of cars on the road are electric, or even hybrid?

Do we want to encourage more electric and hybrid cars, or discourage their use?

I think we should encourage more. But if we do get more, how do we pay for roads? That's the obvious question.

[wygator]

You must feed the beast...

Government wants you to stop smoking. If you do, fewer cigarette taxes are collected.

If you conserve water, you're likely facing higher taxes and/or service fees because the infrastructure still must be financed.

[rivergator]

You must feed the beast...

Government wants you to stop smoking. If you do, fewer cigarette taxes are collected.

If you conserve water, you're likely facing higher taxes and/or service fees because the infrastructure still must be financed.

so how do you think roads should be financed?

[philnotfil]

I think we should encourage more. But if we do get more, how do we pay for roads? That's the obvious question.

What percent of vehicles on the road are electric? (more than 30,000 have been sold nationwide) At this point in time I see this as a money grab rather than an attempt to offset decreased gasoline usage.

It is something to keep an eye on, it is something to plan for, but at this point it isn't something to raise taxes on, especially when we are trying to encourage adoption of the new technology.

[wygator]

so how do you think roads should be financed?

Perhaps you keep the gasoline tax for fuel and add registration taxes at varying levels by car model for hybrids and electrics to account for the electric "fueling" element.

Much better, simpler and "fairer" than a milage tax. IMHO, there are privacy issues with a milage tax.

[g8orbill]

Oregonian environmental whackos-geez louise

[brainstorm]

River asks a good question even though I don't see the electric vehicles as an issue at the moment.

One way might to be moving away from fuel taxes and into a "fee for usage" tax that is levied and collected yearly. You would have to have some method for collecting mileage information and presenting it at time of renewal of your registration/tag. You would need one calculation for commercial vehicles and one for non-commercial. Of course, you would have to release the tax on fuel.

Another question comes to mind. Out of all the taxes and fees collected around vehicles - fuel taxes, taxes on purchases, registration fees, drivers license fees, traffic tickets - how much (percentage) goes for building and maintaining roads? I have a feeling that it is less, perhaps far less, than 100%.

[Gatoragman]

They are using the roads, and since everyone must pay their fair share thay need to contribute something to road maintenance.

[oragator1]

So just charge a per vehicle tax at purchase, or annually. We pay an annual tax on cars in VA, it is done under personal property but could easily be converted for this. If you want to encourage hybrids or electric etc., give them a 10% break on the tax, or charge based on fuel mileage of the vehicle owned. Or on weight of the vehicle owned, since along with miles driven is the biggest driver of who takes the most from the roads.

[MichiGator2002]

It's an interesting situation. We pay for roads thru gas taxes. If we do switch to more electric vehicles, we won't be collecting the taxes, but still need the roads.

Talk about damned if you, damned if you don't. 99.9-bar% of people who give a crap about electric or hybrid cars care because they figure they will save themselves money on fuel, which necessarily intentionally includes the ginormous tax thereon. Whether they are even correct is beside the point.

[bluelang]

Tolls.

[wargunfan]

so how do you think roads should be financed?

Electric vehicles can be assessed a surcharge when purchasing auto tags.

[corpgator]

Uh, this is a simple fix. Raise the tax per gallon of gas. If we use half the gas, double the tax. Tax makes up such a small % right now that it won't make much of a difference, but it will make a difference in speeding the adoption of more efficient vehicles, which is a win for everyone.

[WESGATORS]

Tolls.

This. Technology makes it easier to bill per use for major roads (eventually all roads). I think it's great the way Orlando does it. Among the many flaws with a per-mile tax is that if you have it, it should apply to everybody (including visitors).

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

[HALLGATOR]

"Let me tell you how it will be,
There’s one for you, nineteen for me,
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don’t take it all.
‘Cause I’m the Taxman,
Yeah, I’m the Taxman.

(If you drive a car ), I’ll tax the street,
(If you try to sit ), I’ll tax your seat,
(If you get too cold ), I’ll tax the heat,
(If you take a walk ), I’ll tax your feet.
Taxman."

[GatorRade]

What percentage of cars on the road are electric, or even hybrid?

Do we want to encourage more electric and hybrid cars, or discourage their use?

This is the main question. I think the idea is that we tax things that we want to reduce. This seems to be doing the opposite.

[brainstorm]

Just doing a few simple searches, it appears that the taxes at the pump - state and federal - plus the fees do not really cover highway maintenance. The difference is made up from the state general fund. So, if a state is suffering and running deficits then they will likely not make up as much of the difference.

Given the condition of our nation's infrastructure this cannot continue.

I saw one site that cited an average of 22 cents a gallon of state tax and 18 cents a gallon (gasoline) for the federal tax. Diesel taxes are a bit higher. I hate to pay more at the pump but this may have to change.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2256972/Middle-earners-hit-hardest-revealed-workers-making-30-000-bigger-hit-earning-500-000-new-fiscal-deal.html?ICO=most_read_module

http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2011/09/highway-funding-system-running-out-gas

[rpmGator]

Even cars that get great mpg, use the roads. Since states get their road funds from fuel taxes, they are trying to find a way to make up for higher mpg.

They are just going to have to tax in other ways to keep up supporting the car, insurance, oil, and road building industries.