Oregon looks at taxing mileage instead of gasoline

TraderZones · Jan 2, 2009

how is this (story below) different than a gas tax??? Lower MPG vehicles will already pay more since they use more gas. Why do they make things so complicated???

"Oregon looks at taxing mileage instead of gasoline"

Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring devices in 300 vehicles...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090103/ap_on_re_us/mileage_tax

Random.Capital · Jan 2, 2009

Quote from TraderZones:

how is this (story below) different than a gas tax???

Perhaps they've realized that what makes cars not "green" isn't the fuel they use, but the distance they cover. This would/could be a way to draw that link in a revenue-neutral way.

Not sure why they need GPS when the odometer already tracks that stuff - just read the thing during the annual insurance re-up.

TraderZones · Jan 2, 2009

Quote from Random.Capital:

Perhaps they've realized that what makes cars not "green" isn't the fuel they use, but the distance they cover. This would/could be a way to draw that link in a revenue-neutral way.

Not sure why they need GPS when the odometer already tracks that stuff - just read the thing during the annual insurance re-up.

Govt has a way of making the simple very complex and costly...

Capablanca · Jan 3, 2009

Haven't given it much thought but wouldn't this eliminate the incentive for switching to environmentally friendlier cars? If you're going to be taxed the same for driving 1000 miles, where's the financial advantage to the taxpayer for using electricity instead of gasoline? It seems to encourage petrol use.

codetroll · Jan 3, 2009

Quote from Capablanca:

Haven't given it much thought but wouldn't this eliminate the incentive for switching to environmentally friendlier cars? If you're going to be taxed the same for driving 1000 miles, where's the financial advantage to the taxpayer for using electricity instead of gasoline? It seems to encourage petrol use.

Exactly.

It's completely idiotic in almost every sense, why not track you with a pedometer too? It's just another excuse not to innovate in the proper direction and instead trying to fix an old system that's going to eventually lose revenue for the state as more fuel efficient vehicles are produced.

TraderZones · Jan 3, 2009

Quote from codetroll:

Exactly.

It's completely idiotic in almost every sense, why not track you with a pedometer too? It's just another excuse not to innovate in the proper direction and instead trying to fix an old system that's going to eventually lose revenue for the state as more fuel efficient vehicles are produced.

One of the more brillliant ideas I heard, was to put auto insurance (not the collision part) into the price of gas. The more you drive, the more insurance you pay. And larger cars cause more damage and use more gas. That way, you won't get people driving without insurance and you won't need uninsured motorist coverage. And a further stimulus to make fueld efficient vehicles.

Random.Capital · Jan 3, 2009

Quote from Capablanca:

If you're going to be taxed the same for driving 1000 miles, where's the financial advantage to the taxpayer for using electricity instead of gasoline?

There shouldn't be one. You aren't reducing the demand for energy, you're simply transferring it to a different source of supply, one which in no way shape or form is "green" in the quantities needed if we're talking about mass conversion away from gas/diesel powered transport.