"Noting that gas taxes are unfair because of the large differences in the fuel economy of automobiles, the task force explored alternative taxing methods to ensure equity among drivers."

What kind of cheap-assed dope have these people been smoking?

The article:
[url]http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp?Page=\Politics\archive\200301\POL20030102a.html[/url]

State Tracking of Auto Movements by GPS Called 'Nutty'
By Marc Morano
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
January 02, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - If a proposal by an Oregon State task force becomes law, the government would be able to use satellite equipment to keep track of each driver's mileage and tax that driver accordingly in order to pay for road repairs.

Even the state administrator who proposed the plan thinks citizens "should be concerned" about the possibility of civil liberties violations. And Chris Edwards, director of fiscal policy at the free market Cato Institute, told CNSNews.com, "I think it's nutty and I don't think it's ever going to happen.

"I don't think Americans are ready to be subjected to that type of civil liberties intrusion," Edwards explained, "where government tracks them around wherever they drive."

Edwards believes the Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) mileage-tracking proposal is the result of overzealous government bureaucrats.

"This is an example of economists gone wild," Edwards said. "Economists often think of these schemes that seem efficient on paper, but they don't think about the real world and the civil liberties aspect of things."

Jim Whitty, administrator of Oregon's Road User Fee Task Force, in an exclusive interview with CNSNews.com, called the GPS mileage tracking tax proposal necessary because "it costs a certain amount to drive on the road per vehicle and people ought to pay their fair share of their usage."

Democratic Gov. John Kitzhaber and the state legislature set up the Road User Fee Task Force in November 2001 to explore methods of financing transportation costs.

The Official webpage:
[url]http://www.odot.state.or.us/ruftf/[/url]

"As well as the gas tax has served the road needs of Oregonians in the past, it will soon become a declining revenue source. The Road User Fee Task Force is charged with the duty of designing a new revenue collection system for road funding to ultimately replace the gas tax. Oregon will be well served in finding a solution to this concern before it becomes an emergency."

Representative Bruce Starr,
Road User Fee Task Force Chair

absolutely nuts...

tHESE stupid ass lame fcks should be taxed based on the amount of air they waste by breathing.

I might go for it as long as it applies to EVERYTHING!!! Let's talk about the gubernment programs I don't use.

It won't happen and I'll do my best to recruit others to repell this.

Just like the article says, looks good on paper, but not a reality.

Well, I've got news for y'all - the Federal and State governments are considering using GPS transponders in automobiles to enforce speed limits.  The first step is measuring the car's speed, the second step is governing the speed.  Of course, the third step is disabling the auto to keep a citizen off the street - how about the "Red Air Day" scenario for starters.

The French actually have a program slated to start soon to execute the speed governing function in an experimental fleet.

Perversion of the most useful innovation in navigation in 250 years in the name of tax revenue.

Better corner the market on 1965 Impalas, et al, before the prices skyrocket.  Of course, you will be expected to buy a Historic Vehicle tag for a nominal fee in addition to the regular resistration.

Oh yea, I almost forgot - how the fuck can gas taxes be unfair if the fuel consumption of various vehicles is different - the tax is charded by the gallon, so you pay tax on every drop you buy. It would be unfair in the instance where a fixed tax was paid every time the vehicle pulled into the gas station.  BTW, taxes on gasoline are $0.37 per gallon in Missouri - pretty good revenue stream, too bad the legislature isn't spending it on the damn roads.

Good idea, Like THAT would be really hard to defeat[rolleyes]

That's nuts all right. Sounds like some economist wasn't thinking too hard.

A per-gallon gas tax is as fair as it gets for road wear. Your mileage will be worse if your vehicle is heavier. Heavier vehicles also cause more road wear. That evens out. How would the GPS system account for vehicle weight? The gas tax automatically compensates for increased road wear if you load up your vehicle or tow a trailer. Your mileage will be worse if you drive faster/accelerate harder. That's probably more road stress too. Yeah, it's already perfectly fair without spending billions of dollars putting GPS systems in every car, collecting all of the data, calculating all of the taxes, and billing everyone. What about out of state vehicles? They already pay the gas tax for the road wear they cause, just by getting gas in the state. How could they pay this wacky GPS tax?

Sounds a lot like the people who want to put some kind of black box in every car so that the police can stop it if it is involved in a car chase. Even dumber.

Luckily, my car is an '89.

Here's where tin foil can come in handy.  Wrap your GPS in foil and the signals won't be picked up!  Right?  That's what i do for the chip in my head anyway.

O I didn't realize you were an asshole.

BTT for the night crew

My wife and I had considered moving to that socialist state, until the latest tax scheme.  She turned down a really good job there.

Hell this is news to me.

Yup, one of former Governor Veto's fantasies. Only problem is the @$&*^%# people in this state just elected another demoncrap for gov.

Hard to tell where it will all end.

NMSight

Well its time that southern Oregon and northern California broke away and created the state of Jefferson!

All I have to say is, PUT THE PIPE DOWN!!!

That is all I am gonna say about that.

BTT for the swing shift!

Mount the tracking system on a dog.. that should give them some interesting data.

Operator : What is this fool doing? driving inside his house?

CLARIFICATION TIME!!!!!!

While in a transportation committee meeting today - this backlash in the news came up.

1. The proposed system WILL NOT be GPS based.
2. The proposed system is an attempt to tax based on vehicle miles traveled - not a gas tax.
3. (Conceptually) A chip would be placed on the car at a border crossing, the chip is read (generally at the gas pump) taxes are collected.
4. The system would not track where you go, or where you are.


I went on record stating that I was VERY opposed to a GPS based system.

Out

That's OK, I didn't realize you weren't smart enough to recognize sarcasm. [):)]

well, if it was going to be gps based, a little strategic use of tin-foil would fix all your tax problems.  [:D]

FOTBR

Edited to add Balzac beat me to it, but I wanted to point out the money savings as well.

Some idiot proposed this in WI too, as a way of paying for long-delayed freeway reconstruction/expansion...

But they called it a 'toll system', since 'tax' has gotten to be a taboo-word up here among politicians (when a Democrat running for Governor promises to cut spending and not raise taxes...).

They wanted us to all put little boxes in our cars so we could be nickled-and-dimed every time we drove through the busiest freeway interchange in the state (which, due to our pathetic road design, is every time anyone drives to/through downtown Milwaukee, as we only have 2 major interstates (43 & 94) serving the whole city, and they cross right in the middle of downtown).

Wouldn't it be better to place the chip in each driver's head?  That way it's the individual that gets taxed, not the vehicle.  Oh, and some kind of radio communications would be required for the chip to communicate with the authorities, so I'm thinking every driver would have 2 little antennae on the back of their head, like Uncle Martin in "My Favorite Martian." [rolleyes]

Thats right, the government must prepair us for that kind of intrusion befor the sheeple will allow it.

R35