Pay by the gallon or pay by mile?

[muwarrior69]

Which would you prefer? I rather pay by the gallon.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20150520/us--oregon-charging_green_vehicles-eff38a74ea.html

[Badgerhater]

I had a hybrid car for awhile and it was a decent vehicle, but it was not "green" once the battery production is figured in.   It is intriguing technology and I expect aspects to be incorporated into more vehicles in the future.

$8 million to implement the program is quite high.   Easier to add $25 or whatever to the annual registration of a hybrid.  Many states have different registration amounts for different types of vehicles.

What I don't like is the possibility of how such a program may be tweaked in the future to either carrot or stick certain driving behaviors such as if you drive during common commuting times you get charged more for those miles.  People need to work and a big commute is not always a voluntary choice for those on the lower rungs.

This is all about revenue generation and not high mileage drivers wearing out roads.  Cars don't wreck roads -- weather and trucks do.  Another aspect I don't like is that it is easier for politicians to change the tax rate because the increment is so small (but can add up in a hurry).  I am a firm believer that all tax hikes should be transparent and be voted on by legislatures -- that is why I was glad that Wisconsin ditched its annual gas tax hike that shielded politicians from political fallout.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Once implemented taxes never go away and politicians can incrementally creep up the rate. On your phone bill there is a tax that was imposed to pay for the Spanish-American war. Think we already collected enough?

  The government already collects about 15% on each gallon. Instead of curbing waste and inefficiency pols always ask for more.

[4everwarriors]

This is kinda like the old sayin', "gas or ass," hey?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Once implemented taxes never go away and politicians can incrementally creep up the rate. On your phone bill there is a tax that was imposed to pay for the Spanish-American war. Think we already collected enough?

  The government already collects about 15% on each gallon. Instead of curbing waste and inefficiency pols always ask for more.

The Federal tax on gas is 18.4 cents per gallon and has been that since 1993. Roughly 60% of that goes for road/bridge construction. Cars have gotten a lot more fuel efficient since then yet Congress has been afraid to even tie that 18.4 cents to inflation for fear of being accused of raising taxes.

We need more revenue to maintain our infrastructure, as currently maintained results in extreme costs tied to inefficiency (sitting in traffic idling etc.)

[ZiggysFryBoy]

This is kinda like the old sayin', "gas or ass," hey?

Don't forget grass.

[Badgerhater]

The Federal tax on gas is 18.4 cents per gallon and has been that since 1993. Roughly 60% of that goes for road/bridge construction. Cars have gotten a lot more fuel efficient since then yet Congress has been afraid to even tie that 18.4 cents to inflation for fear of being accused of raising taxes.

We need more revenue to maintain our infrastructure, as currently maintained results in extreme costs tied to inefficiency (sitting in traffic idling etc.)

I work in the transportation infrastructure industry and agree that we need to keep pace.   But we have representative government to handle issues like taxation.  I don't care if its a nasty and heated debate and lots of politicians get voted out of office (automatic tax increases are all about insulating politicians), having a legislative process for each instance where the government is going to take more money from the citizens is good representative government.

[Spotcheck Billy]

I work in the transportation infrastructure industry and agree that we need to keep pace.   But we have representative government to handle issues like taxation.  I don't care if its a nasty and heated debate and lots of politicians get voted out of office (automatic tax increases are all about insulating politicians), having a legislative process for each instance where the government is going to take more money from the citizens is good representative government.

No arguments with that but how do we increase funding if 1993 $ cannot pay for what we need in 2015 and beyond? Most states have a higher gas tax than the Feds 18.4 cents (some as high as 50 cents). If all of the roads/bridges needing improvements would be funded it would also provide a lot of jobs.

[warriorchick]

No arguments with that but how do we increase funding if 1993 $ cannot pay for what we need in 2015 and beyond? Most states have a higher gas tax than the Feds 18.4 cents (some as high as 50 cents). If all of the roads/bridges needing improvements would be funded it would also provide a lot of jobs.

Was the Stimulus Plan supposed to take care of all of that?

[Badgerhater]

No arguments with that but how do we increase funding if 1993 $ cannot pay for what we need in 2015 and beyond? Most states have a higher gas tax than the Feds 18.4 cents (some as high as 50 cents). If all of the roads/bridges needing improvements would be funded it would also provide a lot of jobs.

By Congress raising the tax.  They have done it before and someday they will muster the political will to do it again.

[source?]

Once implemented taxes never go away and politicians can incrementally creep up the rate. On your phone bill there is a tax that was imposed to pay for the Spanish-American war. Think we already collected enough?

  The government already collects about 15% on each gallon. Instead of curbing waste and inefficiency pols always ask for more.

Technically that tax went away in 2006. It did have a great 108 year run, though.

[Spotcheck Billy]

Was the Stimulus Plan supposed to take care of all of that?

not even close, updating the infrastructure is basically a perpetual need, the SP helped speed some projects along but a drop in the bucket

[warriorchick]

not even close, updating the infrastructure is basically a perpetual need, the SP helped speed some projects along but a drop in the bucket

Oops, forgot my teal.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Pay by the hour or the night?  Magic Fingers, a'ina?