Obama: No plan for taxing motorists on mileage

[TeamJordan23]

Obama nixes plan to tax motorists on mileage
By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press Writer Joan Lowy, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Friday rejected his transportation secretary's suggestion that the administration consider taxing motorists based on how many miles they drive instead of how much gasoline they buy.

"It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters, when asked for the president's thoughts about Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's suggestion, raised in an interview with The Associated Press a daily earlier.

Gasoline taxes that for nearly half a century have paid for the federal share of highway and bridge construction can no longer be counted on to raise enough money to keep the nation's transportation system moving, LaHood told the AP.

"We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled," the former Illinois Republican lawmaker said in the AP interview.

LaHood spokeswoman Lori Irving said Friday that the secretary was speaking of the idea only in general terms, not as something being implemented as administration policy.

Most transportation experts see a vehicle miles-traveled tax as a long-term solution, but Congress is being urged to move in that direction now by funding pilot projects.

The idea also is gaining ground in several states. The governor of Idaho is talking about such a program. A North Carolina panel suggested in December the state start charging motorists a quarter-cent for every mile as a substitute for the gas tax. Rhode Island's governor, however, has expressed opposition to a panel's recommendation in December that the state charge motorists a half-cent for every mile driven in addition to the gas tax.

A tentative plan in Massachusetts to use GPS chips in vehicles to charge motorists by the mile has drawn complaints from drivers who say it's an Orwellian intrusion by government into the lives of citizens. Other motorists say it eliminates an incentive to drive more fuel-efficient cars since gas guzzlers will be taxed at the same rate as fuel sippers.

Besides a VMT tax, more tolls for highways and bridges and more government partnerships with business to finance transportation projects are other funding options, LaHood, one of two Republicans in Obama's Cabinet, said in the interview Thursday.

"What I see this administration doing is this — thinking outside the box on how we fund our infrastructure in America," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090221/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/lahood_vehicle_mileage_tax

[SpartanDem]

1. A mileage tax

should supplement not replace the gas tax. If you drive a hybrid verison of a car the same distance as gas one you're still contributing the same amount of wear and tear on the road surface. We should not only encourage people to choose fuel efficent cars, but also encourge people to drive less overall.

[Honeycombe8]

2. What a creepy idea. Talk about govt intrusion. Just HOW would they clock

your mileage? Would the govt install a spy computer in your car that reports back to the govt how far (and where) you traveled?

That is waaaaay creepy and borders on Big Brother.

The govt should NOT know where we go or how far we go. We are entitled to SOME privacy.

I'm not in favor of increasing the gas tax, either, because like any consumption tax, it has a disproportionate effect on the poor. Only gas is not a consumer item that one has the option of purchasing or not. Except for some urban areas, purchasing gas is a necessity to employment and to life itself in driving to get health care.

Gas is like a utility. It shouldn't be controlled solely by the free market, and taxes can't get so high as to cause people to suffer.

The way Obama is going is the way to do it. Convert the country to alternative energy. That's a win-win. The country will rely less on gas, and poor people will still have a way to get to the unemployment office or their jobs or to a doctor's office.

[SpartanDem]

3. simple

whoever does licensing for your state checks the mileage difference every year. If your state does emissions testing then they can check it there. If you can pay utilities at a bank then you can pay your mileage tax where you get tested. Even if your state doesn't do testing like mine(MI) I'm sure they can authorize certain dealerships, gas stations, etc to do it.

[Chulanowa]

4. Is the secret plan...

To bring Republicans on board so they can come up with lunatic ideas that get quashed, exposing just how ridiculous htey all are even under "bipartisanship"?

[LittleBlue]

5. Vehicle weight tax is better.

I'm tired of seeing people voluntarily drive huge trucks or SUV's unrelated to business. It's inherently irresponsible.

[w4rma]

6. Why did he appoint these idiots? His entire economic team are idiots. Rubinites and DLCers. (nt)

[marshall]

9. Next plan: tax people on their body weight

It makes the same sense as this plan. Health costs are soaring because we've moved from obese to super obese. Why not just tax people based on a percentage of their body weight that is over the average. Then funnel all the money into health care, not to mention the public service equipment that wears out faster because bigger and bigger people are using it.

[newfie11]

7. If there would be a mileage tax then there better be an optional way to get around.

This would penalize those of us who live in large rural states. Many people in my area are an hour or two from a town, grocery store, doctor, etc. We already have hugh state tax payments but no other way to get about other then driving.

[WinkyDink]

8. KEY WORDS: "LaHood, one of two Republicans in Obama's Cabinet". Let's break that down:

ONLY a REPUBLICAN would want to take money from Americans rather than find ways to conserve fuel and to increase use of public transportation.

ONLY a REPUBLICAN would want to "level the playing field" (Cf. "Tax, Flat") for the poor and the wealthy, when, of course, there is no levelling to be had, except in death.

ONLY a REPUBLICAN would seek to punish commuters to the benefit of those who can "tele-commute" from their lap-tops.

ONLY a REPUBLICAN would see some "sense" in taking money from citizens who live, spend, and PAY TAXES in their home state with their pay earned in a neighboring state.

And finally, ONLY a REPUBLICAN FASCIST would seek to have EVERY VEHICLE TRACKED by LAW with a GPS system. What's that? No records except mileage will be kept? Bwahahahaha! Can you say "Homeland Security"? Already certain companies are keeping track of their drivers/delivery people this way; no stops at the bookie for them!

We've got 8 years to bury this idea. It will not go away.