MA wants to monitor and tax mileage

[The Straight Story]

MA wants to monitor and tax mileage
Some still can’t embrace the “Big
Brother” aspect

Updated: Monday, 16 Feb 2009, 12:12 PM EST


MASSACHUSETTS (WPRI) - A new idea proposed by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is being called “Orwellian” by opponents. Patrick wants to use GPS chips in vehicles to charge people for the miles they drive.

The plan is called a “Vehicle Miles Traveled” program and would replace the gas tax by 2014. Opponents have concerns that “Big Brother” will be watching, but there have been positive results in Oregon, where there is a similar program.

The governor of Idaho and even Governor Carcieri are considering this type of program. They believe that as cars become more fuel efficient, gas tax revenues will drop. They argue that charging drivers for the miles they drive is a fair way to tax people who drive on the state's roads.

Still, many can’t embrace the “Big Brother” aspect of the program, even though the GPS apparently will not track vehicles in “real time”.

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/local_mass_gas_mileage_tax20090216

[Oregone]

1. People with guzzlers love this law

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. Like everything else, eventually law enforcement would grab the records.

[LSparkle]

3. Great -- as if driving for hours and miles isn't punishment enough ...

Now people with long commutes will take it in the
wallet as well ... ridiculous.

[Lost in CT]

4. Those freeloading electric car people will get theres...

Thank god no-one from out of state ever drives in Mass. Otherwise they would lose all that extra revenue.

(Which reminds me are Mass drivers only charged for miles in Mass? Or is it miles driving to florida as well?)

[Ioo]

5. Gas tax does that... and it punishes those with gas hogs...

Gas tax is great way to tax gas hog cars..

[FiveGoodMen]

8. I'm sure that's ONE of the reasons for this proposal

It hits the efficient cars just as bad as the gas guzzlers, thereby saving the SUV crowd from paying extra for their foolishness.

I'm sure the database of everywhere anyone has ever been was never a consideration! :sarcasm:

Any politician who is for this is America's enemy (definitely NOT sarcasm)

[Salviati]

6. They want an easy low-tech way to fix this?

easy - peg the gas tax to the average MPG in the US. Problem solved.

Plus, since gas taxes are often used for road maintinance, it's only fitting that people with heavier cars should pay more, they're putting a lot more wear and tear on our roadways. They SHOULD pay more, climate issues aside.

I'd argue, in fact, that charging people for the miles they drive is UNFAIR.

[DrDan]

7. just put it on a gallon of gas - hits tourists, hits gas-guzzlers, hits high-mileage drivers

and no the least bit invasive.

[The Straight Story]

9. Well, some see gas as a sin - so this would be a sin tax :) (nt)

[DrDan]

12. so if it turned out to be a big problem, I guess we would have s sin-taxs error . . .

[Still Sensible]

10. Frankly it seems to me this would just replace one method

with another and really won't mean much in the end. Since the more miles you drive the more gas you use, it sure doesn't look like any real gain to be had. In addition to the 'big brother' aspect, two problems I see with it are:

First, the sheer cost of implementation and collection. All of the mechanisms are in place to report and collect the gasoline tax. What is going to be the outrageous cost of putting a GPS device in all vehicles, creating the monitoring and reporting infrastructure, and then implementing the collection mechanisms?

Second, unless they are going to base the rate-per-mile on the vehicle one drives (and not just by counting axles) then the most gas guzzling drivers will get the biggest break. Now, since they use a lot more gas, they pay more in the gas tax. Theoretically under the new plan the person that drives the Hummer would pay the same as the person that drives the Prius. And if that is not true, just how damn complicated are they going to make it?

On it's face, this sounds like something somebody wants to do because they can, not because it necessarily makes a lot of sense IMO.

[GoesTo11]

11. Stupid

As cars become more efficient, gas tax revenues will drop? Then raise gas tax rates if that's necessary to fund road maintenance. Gas tax is proportional to miles traveled x mileage of car. Heavy cars cause more wear and tear too. It's perfect and easily administered. The proposal avoids raising the gas tax but still taxes people. Just stupid.

[Phoenix-Risen]

13. the GPS apparently will not track vehicles in “real time”.

But will they know where I have been and when? Of course if I have nothing to hide no problem, right Deval? How do they elect these idiots?