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View Full Version : By-the-mile road tax could replace by-the-gallon federal fuel tax



-Cp
07-01-2009, 03:01 PM
The year is 2020 and the gasoline tax is history. In its place you get a monthly tax bill based on each mile you drove — tracked by a Global Positioning System device in your car and uploaded to a billing center.

What once was science fiction is being field-tested by the University of Iowa to iron out the wrinkles should a by-the-mile road tax ever be enacted.

Besides the technological advances making such a tax possible, the idea is getting a hard push from a growing number of transportation experts and officials. That is because the traditional by-the-gallon fuel tax, struggling to keep up with road building and maintenance demands, could fall even farther behind as vehicles’ gas mileage rises and more alternative-fuel vehicles come on line.

The idea of shifting to a by-the-mile tax has been discussed for years, but it now appears to be getting more serious attention. A federal commission, after a two-year study, concluded earlier this year that the road tax was the “best path forward” to keep revenues flowing to highway and transportation projects, and could be an important new tool to help manage traffic and relieve congestion.

Full article:

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/1299981.html

Insein
07-01-2009, 03:56 PM
Saw this before the election. Laughed it off as Orwellian nonsense. Now all bets are off with the administration. If it controls the people and gets more taxes, they are up for it.

-Cp
07-01-2009, 05:37 PM
I can't begin to tell you how quickly that device would be ripped outta my car...

glockmail
07-01-2009, 06:33 PM
This is expensive, Orwellian and will take away an incentive to drive efficiently. That's why the Democrats will push for it.

avatar4321
07-01-2009, 07:38 PM
Im sorry but thats impossible. There is no way they will repeal the gas tax for a millage tax. They will tax both gas and millage.

Trigg
07-01-2009, 08:00 PM
Im sorry but thats impossible. There is no way they will repeal the gas tax for a millage tax. They will tax both gas and millage.

Your probably right......afterall when have they ever taken a tax away?????

glockmail
07-02-2009, 08:44 AM
Your probably right......afterall when have they ever taken a tax away????? I recall the Feds repealing some archaic FCC tax on my telephone bill in the 1990's- one imposed to finance WW2.