Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Only if they drop the gas tax would I agree with this.

Top lawmaker wants mileage-based tax on vehicles
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Apr 28, 2:57 PM (ET)

By JOAN LOWY


WASHINGTON (AP) - A House committee chairman said Tuesday that he wants Congress to enact a mileage-based tax on cars and trucks to pay for highway programs now rather than wait years to test the idea.

Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., said he believes the technology exists to implement a mileage tax. He said he sees no point in waiting years for the results of pilot programs since such a tax system is inevitable as federal gasoline tax revenues decline.

"Why do we need a pilot program? Why don't we just phase it in?" said Oberstar, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman. Oberstar is drafting a six-year transportation bill to fund highway and transit programs that is expected to total around a half trillion dollars.

A congressionally mandated commission on transportation financing alternatives recommended switching to a vehicle-miles traveled tax, but estimated it would take a decade to put a national system in place.

"I think it can be done in far less than that, maybe two years," Oberstar said at a House hearing. He was responding to testimony by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., who recommended that the transportation bill include pilot programs in every state to test the viability of a mileage-based tax.

Blumenauer said public acceptance, not technology, is the main obstacle to a mileage-based tax.

Pilot programs "would be able to increase public awareness and comfort and it would hasten the day we could make the transition," Blumenauer said.

Oberstar shrugged off that concern.

"I'm at a point of impatience with more studies," Oberstar said. He suggested that Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the highways and transit subcommittee, set up a meeting of transportation experts and members of Congress to figure out how it could be done.

The tax would entail equipping vehicles with GPS technology to determine how many miles a car has been driven and whether on interstate highways or secondary roads. The devices would also calculate the amount of tax owed.

"At this point there are a lot of things that are under consideration and there is also a strong need to find revenue," Oberstar spokesman Jim Berard said. "A vehicle miles-traveled tax is a logical complement, and perhaps a future replacement, for fuel taxes."

Gas tax revenues - the primary source of federal funding for highway programs - have dropped dramatically in the last two years, first because gas prices were high and later because of the economic downturn. They are forecast to continue going down as drivers switch to fuel efficient and alternative fuel vehicles.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has ruled out raising gas taxes to make up for the funding shortfall, and the White House has rejected a mileage-based tax. They have not offered an alternative.

"The funding of the highway trust fund is a complex issue that will require consultation with Congress and consideration of a number of creative ideas," said Transportation Department spokeswoman Jill Zuckman. "The secretary looks forward to working with Chairman Oberstar and others as they consider how to keep the highway trust fund going."

A mileage-based tax has been unpopular in some states where it has been proposed. Critics say it unfairly penalizes drivers who live in rural areas and intrudes on privacy.

"When we can solve the equity issues to a majority's satisfaction in the Congress, when we can solve the privacy issues to the satisfaction of the American people, we can look at moving forward, but I just don't think we have the data or the experience right now to say we can set a timeline or a deadline," DeFazio said in a recent interview.

Hmmm gps on your vehicle and monitored by the goobermint. Beyond that who is going to pay for it, enforce that you installed it, yada yada yada. At the very least a logistical nightmare and another gooberment agency created.

Why is this superior to the pump tax? You drive more, you pay more. Sure, different vehicles get different milage, but who wants to report your driving habits to Big Brother. This is crazy.

This sucks and reeks of big brother. I don't want Bammy in my life any more than he has to be.

Wook

And you know darn well they aren't going to give up one for another. Add one so now you have 2 would be more like it. They are worried that the electric cars won't be taxed at the pump. ijiots!

I hate this idea.

I put a lot of miles on my car, but I pay for it -- because I use more gas.

Why be taxed doubly (if they don't eliminate the pump tax) or be subject to Big Brother's all-seeing eye of Sauron even if they do?

I put 34,000 miles on my car in 1.3 years. Going to be even more now that I'm seeing a girl who lives 40 mins away.

I believe they are implementing something similar in England, which is an indication that it probably should be avoided.
Another crazy idea to pay for highway programs would be to tax heavier vehicles more, since they wear the road out more than lighter vehicles, but don't tell them that!

Oberstar's an idiot.. Naturally, this comes from a democrat. I'm also betting D. Obey (D-WI) will be jumping on THAT bandwagon.. Another idiot..

Anyone from the gov't tries to install a GPS in my vehicles that relate miles will be in for some severe tests of their underwear cleaning techniques..

And you can bet your sweet bippy that most states, especially THIS TAX HELL, will never, ever, remove any vestige of a fuel/gas tax...

Gimme a [bleep] break. They'll try to get their tax money one way or another. GPS on all the cars...good luck with THAT! Azzholes!

You got that right!

I swear to got that Gov. Boyle is trying to figure out a way to tax oxygen.

Minnesota is a strange state, unlike most dyed in the wool blue states, the people are nice, but their politicians are all morons of the highest order.

Side note, that's what kept me out of a GM vehicle when I went car shopping in '07.

They have Onstar standard in everything but the Chevy Cobalt. Onstar = GPS.

JHC, We already pay a mileage tax at the pump. Every time we fill up, the guy with the gas hog pays for his low mileage by buying more than the guy in the Prius. The more both of them drive, the more taxes they both pay.

Are those guys actually this ignorant?

Don't answer, I already know.

You don't have to use it and it's a simple snip of the antenna wire to kill it's unintentional use. 05's and before you just unscrewed the antenna.

YES!!

They have no idea what a can of worms they're gonna open up.. How do you justify a cement truck paying 'X' cents/mile and a Prius paying the same 'X' cents/mile? A 30-ton truck will cause much more road maintenance than a one-ton car. How are they gonna reconcile that?? What about motorcycles? Would they try to install GPS on those too? And just WHERE would those go? What about tractors? They use the roads too..

You just KNOW there's going to be a HUGE, HUGE black market for electronic jammers that foil these items or cause them to register 1/4 of the miles.. This is going to be a HUGE, HUGE debacle and will cost us subjects (yep, we're there now) the few pennies left in our pockets and prove to be TOTALLY, TOTALLY ineffective and as worthless as water in a greasegun...

Democrats are genetically predisposed to be complete idiots when ensconced in government seats.. Government it out of control..

Pretty soon we'll have a law that adds a GPS to your belt to tax you when you walk..

Sidewalk tax...it's probably on Doyles desk today.

Idea has been floating around for a few years since people started driving more fuel effecient vehicles.

Actually, think about it, are they gonna use the same rate for everyone, no matter the vehicle, if you drive a gas guzzling big block, this could work out to your benefit, but ONLY IF THEY drop the gas tax. Small cars would pay more compared to the Big Block owner. I almost could agree with this, ya might see the day of the real hemi return. I know, Pipe dream, like they would do away with the gas tax.

They're not going to give up the gas tax, so you'll still be paying on consumption there. The Demo's got a lot of taxes to collect to pay for all this payback.

I know, but I could honestly support taxing by Mileage if they would drop the consumption tax. Les