What would happen if we imposed a toll on automobile use

[Mairead]

according to (a) the cost of the vehicle, (b) its EPA mileage, and (c) the number of empty seats or seat-equivalents? Set up traffic cameras in different places each day so that the toll couldn't be evaded, take photos, and send out the bill once a week/month.

So in other words, some 'soccer mom' driving a $75K hummer with 3 kids might end up paying a $50 toll every time, while someone driving a hybrid with every seat filled might pay $5.

[phantom power]

1. I think it's most fair to tax fuel.

If you use less fuel, regardless of how you do it, you pay less. If you own a big fat H2, but you only drive it 1000 miles a year, you aren't using that much fuel, and so you don't have to pay that much.

It's almost too late for these kinds of measures. Oil prices are going to do all this for us now, whether we want it or not. Raising taxes on fuel would have had excellent effects, if we'd started 30 years ago. Now, it's going to be done to us, instead of by us.

[sarcasmo]

2. Automakers are to powerful they would fight something like this.

[toopers]

3. Don't we already do this?

There are luxury taxes and fuel efficiency taxes (gas gussler tax) on expensive cars and taxes at the gas pump.

[YOY]

4. More expensive to implicate and to operate

then it is worth.

Do you have any idea how many cameras and monitoring agents (electronic or living) it would take? Astronomically expensive and rediculous.

Not to mention the "Big Brother" reaction.

[tx_dem41]

5. You would have the makings of a great police state, with all the tracking.

technology required. I vote no.

[Vincardog]

7. Just put your cameras at the toll booths for all the toll roads the

fascists are planning. NOT

[LoZoccolo]

10. 'chyeah you said it.

We have this wireless toll system in Illinois where you install a transmitter in your car if you want to have your toll deducted automatically and move through the tolls quicker in separate lanes...well wouldn't you know they subpeanoed some guy's toll records in a divorce case when he was accused of cheating. No thanks.

[SoCalDem]

6. Just ration gas..

Take an "average" commute`from a "commuter job market"..calculate what a "moderately miserly" gas-burner..and set THAT number of gallons per month as the limit..

End gas gouging..government should release reserves to get gas to $2.00 a gallon, and let the Exxons only make 22% additional profit per quarter..

Jail gas gougers..and let the free market work..

People who drive less, could "sell" their ration coupons to the people with the Hummers..

The end result would probably benefit everyone.. The greedy Hummer-ers would have to pay through the nose to buy up extra rations, and the people who are frugal and only drive when necessary..and who have efficient cars would probably be fine :)

[mongo]

8. One problem is the business deduction for these big SUV's

I don't have the exact figures, but once a vehicle reaches a certain weight, a business is allowed to deduct it's expense on a faster schedule. The reason being that a backhoe doesn't last as long as a passenger car.

So, if you buy a hummer for your business you can deduct the cost over fewer years than a BMW that costs the same - giving you a huge tax advantage to buying the hummer.

Closing this loophole would certainly lower the demand for the super-sized SUV's.

[shraby]

9. That would really hurt old people a lot.

There is usually just one or two (husband and wife or one of either) and need to drive. Bad bad idea..not to mention the invasiveness of the whole thing or the cost of implementing it.