Would You Trade A Gas Tax For A Mileage Tax?

Um, no. Think about it, a good diesel (hybrid, whatever you like) that can travel farther distances and use less gas vs. a gas-guzzling SUV that uses the same amount of gas on shorter distances.

In effect you'd be penalizing the more efficient car.

— jeffy210 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 4:12:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 8   

What is this country becoming to? there are freaking tax for everything, no more tax on gas, yeah right.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 4:18:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Hell no that's not a good idea. Jeffy is exactly right, you're penalizing the more fuel efficient vehicles by taxing them at the same rate as gas guzzlers. A little 2,000lb Honda Insight would be taxed the same amount as a Hummer H1 or Ford F350 if driven the same amount of miles per year. The larger vehicles, especially when loaded up or towing, cause more damage to the road ways and thus should pay more in taxes to support the infrastructure.

Then realize that changing from a gasoline tax to a mileage tax would be taking a step back in trying to fight our oil importing habits.

What they need to do is raise the gasoline tax by a fixed amount (half a cent or a cent) every year over a period of years. This gives consumers and industries time to respond. If instead of paying 18.4 cents per gallon in federal gasoline tax on every gallon of gas you buy you paid 18.9 cents. If you filled up with 20 gallons you'd see a 10 cent price increase, nobody better be throwing a fit over 10 cents. After 5 years the same fill up would cost you 50 cents more, after 10 years a whopping whole dollar.

I certainly don't like new taxes but when the roadway infrastructure is being underfunded and in need of a change a gradual increase of the gasoline tax is the way to go.

— enp83 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 4:53:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

I doubt states with high gasoline taxes (like Mass and Connecticut) would go for such a tax, especially if this were a flat tax for every state. Gas guzzling SUV's need to be taxed, and cars over a certain weight limit that aren't used for commercial purposes. Tax an extra $3,000 for every Suburban, Toureg, and 4runner sold, and increase the national gas tax atleast 5 cents.

The U.S. is way behind on infrastructure and vehicle taxes compared to countries in Western Europe, excessivness is encouraged by how cheap our gasoline is and by how cheap these gas guzzling SUV's are and that they're not taxed extra (Like in other countries).

— rok_altima (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 5:57:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Are you kidding, there would be no trade this tax for that, that does not happen in the US. This tax would go directly on top of the gas tax. I can see it now, if you drive so many miles you get bumped into a higher tax bracket.

— Flat6Four (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 6:45:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Two words: irretrievably stupid.

Jeffy has already pointed out the important point about gas mileage and enp83 has already pointed out the weight issues.

Imagine what the implementation costs would be- they would be huge. IF they are so hung up on taxing directly based on usage to update the highway system then how does the system tell the difference between a private road and a public road?

I have become convinced that about 80% of politicians are so inherently stupid that they believe themselves to be intelligent- and that, my dear friends, makes them dangerous.

— cdoke (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 10:26:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Sounds like something the Brits would do. No thank you! We have enough taxes as it is.

— Auto_expert (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 10:58:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

This, in effect, would be a form of a regressive tax. Typically, higher income families can afford to live closer to city centers (where real estate is often far more expensive). In many instances, lower income families must tolerate a longer commute... the proverbial "house in the burbs".

— Jonathan (View Profile)

Posted on 9/25/2007 11:55:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

NO. Everyone else has already mentioned everything.

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2007 1:00:39 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

1,000 miles commuting in a prius/civic is not the same as 1,000 miles commuting in an F-350/Ferrari F-430

— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2007 2:18:21 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

as jeffy and others pointed out, this would be a very REGRESSIVE TAX!

contrarian that i am, i'd go the other way: INCREASE the gas tax. make the owners of suvs and other gashogs PAY for clogging up the highways!

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 9/26/2007 5:37:54 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Yea I want the politicians to tax us more so they can spend my hard earned dallar setting them selves up! If we ever went with an alternative fuel and never used gas the gov. would have no choice but to tax us this way! I hate that idea! Death and taxes.

— truckmen (View Profile)

Posted on 9/28/2007 4:46:31 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Hell no! I can't afford to live close to where I work, so I have to commute. I can't afford gas in the car I like, so I have to compromise and get a more efficient car. Now I'm going to be taxed on how far I drive so that I have to quit my job because now I can't afford the tax to get to work?

— Michael (View Profile)

Posted on 9/28/2007 9:16:24 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

heh, heh.

i USED to be a truck man too! with a toy truck that got bet'n 25 to 32 mpg.

now i drive a toy corolla that gets bet'n 40 and 32 mpg. ;)

— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 9/29/2007 7:19:26 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1