If the govt starts taxing motorists by mileage driven...

[theHandpuppet]

Poll question: If the govt starts taxing motorists by mileage driven...

How will this change your lifestyle?

(See http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=6550 as basis for this poll)

[HereSince1628]

1. I'll become a rich corporate executive so I can get a tax break.

[Ian David]

2. A gasoline tax disproportionately impacts the working poor. Here's my idea

If one must raise taxes, then it should be in the form of vehicle excise tax.

Most excise tax is based on the "book value" of the vehicle.

I think it should be based upon these THREE factors:

1) Book Value
2) Vehicle Weight
3) Miles per Gallon

The excise tax formula should be set-up so that any vehicle getting more than 35 MPG gets a discount, and any vehicle under 20 MPG gets a penalty on their excise tax. No exemption for commercial vehicles, except busses and "livery" vehicles designed for carrying more than 10 passengers.

A vehicle getting 100 MPG would get a 65% discount, and a vehicle getting 1 MPG would get a 65% penalty. Someone else can work out a formula for calculating the rates for the values in between.

Also, when building roads with tollbooths, the carpool lane should be toll-free. Non-commercial SUVs and trucks (and vehicles over a certain weight) should be charged the rate for a 3-axel vehicle rather than a 2-axel (car) rate at tollbooths.

[patcox2]

11. Any excise tax will have disparate impact.

I don't see how your proposal makes any difference on the disproportionate impact. Bill Gates willl still pay 0.0000000001% of his income on the vehicle excise tax, and the working poor, even if they buy a high mileage vehicle, would still pay a much higher percentage of their income.

I can see how you want to use incentives to encourage economy and punish SUV drivers, but the gas tax already does that anyway.

Your letting your desire for targeted incentives drive your tax policy, which ia making it too complicated. The fact is a tax on fuel already has all those incentives built in. They don't work because the tax is too low, just make it much bigger, so we are paying $5.00 a gallon, like the europeans, and allow low income people a credit against the income tax for it to alleviate the impact on them.

[Ian David]

17. I was thinking that the working poor won't buy a $130,000 SUV

That's why the excise tax would be based on weight and book value and the discounts and penalties would be based on fuel efficiency.

It would disproportionately impact those with the money to buy the huge gas-guzzlers.

Although I do like your idea of a tax credit for low-income people.

[Sgent]

3. This is a fair tax

Tax the poorest county in the country for having to drive 20 miles to the nearest doctor.

Tax the rural areas -- generally with lower incomes and higher gas prices already, because they have to own a car, and have to drive.

Great idea.

Now, if you want to do this in the DC Metro Area or NYC, that's a different issue. But before we start penalizing people for driving, they should have alternatives. Most people do not.

A per gallon tax is essentially a sales tax, and while regressive, is a little more fair to people in outlying areas. I would rather raise the tax/gallon than tax/mile -- at least your incentivising the purchase of feul effecient vehicles.

[HereSince1628]

4. Isn't there already a Federal excise tax per gallon?

[bpilgrim]

5. greasecar

http://greasecar.com

peace

[Bridget Burke]

6. It wouldn't change my lifestyle

I use public transportation to commute.

But that's not possible for many in Houston. Even if they could move closer to work--what if they get a new job? Until real public transportation is available to all, this is an unfair tax.

[wli]

7. it wouldn't make a dent here, either

I drive under 1000 miles a year as things now stand, and am something of a notorious homebody.

[Fescue4u]

8. My odometer would proably break

And so would many others.

And sorry, don't have the money to fix it.

[OnionPatch]

9. I don't like it. It doesn't seem fair unless

one gets a break for having a super gas-efficient car. I live a good ways from my job because I can't afford the housing closer to work! Now I'm going to get punished for that? Maybe I should work closer to home at one of the fabulous jobs available here..... at McDonald's! :eyes:
Sorry, but I'm going to be seriously pissed if this goes through and punishes those who drive efficient cars the same as those who drive Hummers.

[patcox2]

10. The government already does, its called the gasoline tax.

I mean, huh? Doesn't taxing the gas you use do exactly that?

[Sgent]

12. The gasoline tax

is not a tax on mile / gallon. It is more a tax on energy -- not the use of it.

The difference is that a tax per gallon rewards effenciency on automobiles -- whereas a miles driven tax is neutral.

Currently, those GM Suburban drivers put a lot more into the tax pool than someone driving a hybrid, under a miles driven tax this is not the case.

It could make sense in some very limited situations, like a $3/mile tax for driving in NYC or London, where there is significant congestion and already good public transit. That being said, on a general scale it doesn't make sense.

[ThomWV]

13. Federal Sales Tax based on EPA Milage

Sliding scale: the dam thing gets 10 mpg highway and it gets slapped with a 50% Federal sales tax. If it gets 50+ mpg highway it gets 0% sales tax. Straight ramp inbetween.

[Walt Starr]

14. I use very little mileage to and from work even though I live nearly 50

miles from my place of employment.

All I would do is cut down on my excursions beyond my immediate vicinity.

I might move closer to one of my more favorite recreational facilities, though (closets Ren Faire to my house).

[Jack_DeLeon]

15. I'd either yank out the black box and/or just plain not register my car

fuck that bullshit.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. Would kill hubby.. he's a travelling computer fix it guy

[TimeChaser]

18. For my mother

driving is a part of her work. She has to visit patients at home.