Big Brother can you spare me a ride?

[gm]

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/09/15/1952208

OK, let me get this straight, Oregon.
First, your state won't let me pump my own gas.
Now, you want to put a tracker in my car and keep track of where I go, so you can tax me on that.

Seriously? What's next? Measuring how much we breathe so you can tax us on that?!

[rasb]

Have you considered moving to another country, gm?

[gm]

Oh, I don't live anywhere near Oregon.... just spend time there for track meets

[tandfman]

When you do spend time there, I'm sure you've noticed that it's one of the few states in the country with no sales tax. Hey, they've got to raise money somehow.

I must say, though, that the mileage tax seems silly. It would make more sense just to raise the gasoline tax by a few pennies. That would at least have the virtue of taxing gas guzzlers more than those who are economical about fuel consumption. A flat tax on mileage is regressive in that respect.

[Cooter Brown]

I must say, though, that the mileage tax seems silly. It would make more sense just to raise the gasoline tax by a few pennies. That would at least have the virtue of taxing gas guzzlers more than those who are economical about fuel consumption. A flat tax on mileage is regressive in that respect.

DRTFA but that's the main reason behind it. As cars get more fuel efficient or bypass gasoline altogether the money raised by fuel taxes drops but driving does not. There needs to be some other way to raise funds to pay for highway construction and maintenance.

[bad hammy]

Oh, I don't live anywhere near Oregon.... just spend time there for track meets

Note that the scope of the proposed legislation is national, not just Oregon. I've heard talk of such potential changes for years, for the reasons Cooter mentions.

[IanS_Liv]

This was mooted for use in Britain, but it's been quietly dropped I think. The Big Brother aspect of it was too much for a lot of people to swallow. I think that instead people are turning back to using toll roads. I've got mixed opinions on that as various people during the 17th and 18th centuries lost their lives protesting against toll roads. Drivers here already pay a road tax which is supposed to go towards maintenance of roads. The amount you pay is graded depending on how much gas you guzzle - a very small, fuel efficient car pays £60 per year whereas humvees and SUV-type things could pay up to £200 per year.

This may not be entirely accurate as I don't drive but the general gist of it's correct!

[gm]

I certainly don't have a problem with paying a tax of some kind to cover roads and related transportation costs. But to have old man Guvmint tracking my every move? Hell naw.

[lonewolf]

I certainly don't have a problem with paying a tax of some kind to cover roads and related transportation costs. But to have old man Guvmint tracking my every move? Hell naw.

Ditto!!!!!!