States Look to Tax Motorists based on Miles Driven

[Anderson]

I don't like the idea of GPS tracking devices. The government doesn't need to know where I've been, and I can just imagine the infrastructure involved in actually keeping track of millions of vehicles. Nothing's wrong with just reporting the odometer reading.

As more and more vehicles are going hybrid and electric, we're going to have to do something. I don't think it's fair that electric aren't paying a dime in taxes, yet they still enjoy driving the roads. I'm just guessing, but I've heard within 5 or 10 years, half of vehicles on the road today, will be either hybrid or electric, and the gas tax situation will be worse.

There's a difference between hybrids and electrics here. Hybrids are more efficient, but a lot of them are not terribly so compared to the most efficient non-hybrids; there, the issue is the general efficiency drive and the potential dent that the new CAFE standards have to run up MPG ratings across the board. Electrics, on the other hand, definitely need a separate tax basis since the use there is zero (or very close to it; I suspect you're going to see more dual mode electrics than pure electrics in the medium run, since absent widespread catenary setups, electrics tend to have the problem of definite trip limits and long recharging times).

Honestly, I'd go at it from a few angles:

-Allow tolls on interstates, within set limits (to avoid them being used as a cash cow...Delaware, I'm looking at you).

-Stick with the gas tax for either straight gas/diesel vehicles or for "normal" hybrids.

-Use a mileage tax on electrics (or vehicles that are primarily electrics).

One thing I see as an issue, by the way, is that if you go to a mileage tax, there is going to be a big push to axe any and all fuel taxes.

 

[Texan Eagle]

-Allow tolls on interstates, within set limits (to avoid them being used as a cash cow...Delaware, I'm looking at you).

If this is to be implemented, it better be completely cash-less toll gantries. Stopping every few miles to pay toll on the highways is annoying and inefficient. I have experienced this first hand driving in India where they recently "upgraded" the highways from pathetic 2-lane thingies to respectable 4 lane divided highways thous allowing higher driving speeds and then screwed up the benefit completely by putting up toll collection centers every 40-50 miles. So you drive 45 minutes at 65-75 mph and come to a dead stop for 15 minutes to negotiate toll. Rinse and repeat all day long. It is very annoying and drivers hate the tolls. On the other hand here in Dallas, all toll collection is completely cash-less, even for folks who do not have TollTag on their cars. I find this very convenient and don't hate the tolls. I don't really mind paying for the infrastructure, what I do mind is the payment process messing up my momentum and driving times every time I go out to drive.

 

[Anderson]

TE,

How do they collect tolls in Dallas without either a tag system or booths?

 

[Bob Dylan]

TE,

How do they collect tolls in Dallas without either a tag system or booths?

Not sure about DFW but in Austin the Toll Roads have Cameras that take Pictures of your License Plates and you are sent a Bill in about a Month if you dont have a Toll Tag for your Car! People are now going to Jail that have run up Hundreds of Dollars in Tollls and fees and refuse to Pay! Heck of a thing when the Government becomes a Collection Agent for the Foreign Companies that Own the roads even though they were built with Taxpayers Money! :help:

 

[Texan Eagle]

TE,

How do they collect tolls in Dallas without either a tag system or booths?

Not sure about DFW but in Austin the Toll Roads have Cameras that take Pictures of your License Plates and you are sent a Bill in about a Month if you dont have a Toll Tag for your Car! People are now going to Jail that have run up Hundreds of Dollars in Tollls and fees and refuse to Pay! Heck of a thing when the Government becomes a Collection Agent for the Foreign Companies that Own the roads even though they were built with Taxpayers Money! :help:

Yes, same thing in DFW too. People with TollTag are billed from their account, visitors and occasional users are license plate photographed and toll bill sent home, though I believe they don't even bother sending you a bill if you passed only one or two toll gantries. When I purchased my new car I did not have a TollTag for some days and used a few toll roads, its been over a year now and I never got bills for those! Similar thing has happened with my roommate too. He purchased a new car and drove on toll roads without a TollTag a couple times and hasn't received a bill. Strange are the ways of working of the government

 

[johnny.menhennet]

TE,

How do they collect tolls in Dallas without either a tag system or booths?

Not sure about DFW but in Austin the Toll Roads have Cameras that take Pictures of your License Plates and you are sent a Bill in about a Month if you dont have a Toll Tag for your Car! People are now going to Jail that have run up Hundreds of Dollars in Tollls and fees and refuse to Pay! Heck of a thing when the Government becomes a Collection Agent for the Foreign Companies that Own the roads even though they were built with Taxpayers Money! :help:

Yes, same thing in DFW too. People with TollTag are billed from their account, visitors and occasional users are license plate photographed and toll bill sent home, though I believe they don't even bother sending you a bill if you passed only one or two toll gantries. When I purchased my new car I did not have a TollTag for some days and used a few toll roads, its been over a year now and I never got bills for those! Similar thing has happened with my roommate too. He purchased a new car and drove on toll roads without a TollTag a couple times and hasn't received a bill. Strange are the ways of working of the government

Probably because the time associated with looking up each person'a ddress and the postage of sending the bills = more than the tolls probably equated to

 

[Anderson]

Johnny,

I was just thinking that. It's sort of like how William and Mary treats old fines once you graduate (if you managed to get out the door without a hold taking effect, at least): If it is lots of money, they'll apparently turn it over to a collection agency. If it isn't much money, they will just write it off sooner or later.

My guess is that the written-off occasional tolls are cheaper to do without than manning toll booths would be.

As to the government acting as a collection agent, well, as I understand it those franchises were properly acquired. It isn't like I'm going to go into a moral panic if the government starts assisting with fare evasion on the Texas Central (should that project go through), and neither am I going to go into one over this.

 

[RRUserious]

Maybe they should just add a tax based on the sale price of a car. Figure what is needed to keep roads driveable. Create a table for total value of car sales. Then create a tax factor that satisfies the budget for road creation and repair. When cars are titled, require the bill of sale to see what the buyer paid and apply the tax.

Yeh, I'm already thinking "some dodges will happen", but heck, that's a given. Way I figure it, if a guy can afford a $90k Porsche, he can afford to pay more for the roads. People at the bottom of the heap on barely minimum wage and HAVING for some reason to have a car can pay little or nothing.

The registration fee runs the highway department. It is hardly anything toward building or repairing roads. I've thought for some time America needs a VAT to replace some of its income tax. In fact, poor as I am, I'd rather tax corporate earnings at the stockholder level, not the company level. And I'd rather collect SOME tax from everybody, not this insane system of loopholes we have now.