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Would You Trade A Gas Tax For A Mileage Tax?
Beginning early next year, drivers in six states will begin testing a new way to pay for roads and transit: Commuters will be charged for the miles they drive rather than paying taxes on gasoline purchased.

Researchers from the University of Iowa Public Policy Center will install computers and satellite equipment in the vehicles of 2,700 volunteers — 450 each from Austin, Baltimore, Boise, San Diego, eastern Iowa and the Research Triangle region of North Carolina.

Over the next two years, the drivers will get sample monthly bills for the number of miles they've driven. They can compare what they now pay in gasoline taxes with what they would have paid in per-mile fees.

"We want to assess the public's attitudes and acceptance toward a system like this," says Jon Kuhl, principal investigator on the $16.5 million Road User Charge Study and chairman of the University of Iowa Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

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Would You Trade A Gas Tax For A Mileage Tax?



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jeffy210jeffy210 - 9/25/2007 4:12:19 PM
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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.

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EnnNorakEnnNorak - 9/26/2007 7:49:53 AM
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good judgment jeffy210, politicians as usual are getting bad advice from minimum-wage civil servants. The whole idea of a gas tax is to reduce demand and thereby control prices at the pump. Taxing mileage takes away the incentive to buy a fuel-eficient vehicle. Next thing you know, they will hire thousands of inspectors to take annual odometer readings and many of them will collect bribes to enter wrong figures in their reports, not to mention lo-lifes who will simply roll back their odometer or pay someone to do it.


LexusLexus - 9/25/2007 4:18:07 PM
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What is this country becoming to? there are freaking tax for everything, no more tax on gas, yeah right.

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soopakrnsoopakrn - 9/26/2007 4:57:40 AM
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What will be taxed next? The air we breathe? Or the amount of carbon dioxide that is released when we breathe?


EnnNorakEnnNorak - 9/26/2007 7:51:45 AM
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Don't tax you, don't tax me, tax that fellow behind the tree. Actually, they should tax all that hot air that politicians generate.


enp83enp83 - 9/25/2007 4:53:45 PM
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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.

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rok_altimarok_altima - 9/25/2007 5:57:56 PM
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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).

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Flat6FourFlat6Four - 9/25/2007 6:45:43 PM
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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.

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Bmw8terBmw8ter - 9/25/2007 7:10:09 PM
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If you drive less that 15,000 miles a year, you're automatically subjected to the AMT; wouldn't that be something.

This is stupid. This idea wouldn't even work; the price for oil will continue to climb and eventually, we will be compensating for the gas tax, and end up getting DP'd.


cdokecdoke - 9/25/2007 10:26:31 PMView My AgentSpace
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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.

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Auto_expertAuto_expert - 9/25/2007 10:58:48 PM
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Sounds like something the Brits would do. No thank you! We have enough taxes as it is.

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JonathanJonathan - 9/25/2007 11:55:11 PM
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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".

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EnnNorakEnnNorak - 9/26/2007 8:01:41 AM
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Come now hobbles, enough of this socialist rhetoric. I advocate a totally flat income tax rate above some reasonable threshold that cuts the poor out of the tax system altogether. This Robbin Hood approach of disproportionately taxing "those who can afford it" is a disincentive to working hard and investing your savings in enterprise so that more jobs can be created.

A flat tax rate would minimize the annual administrative cost of preparing income tax returns and time spent on looking for loopholes. It's no wonder that so many people cheat on their taxes.


S4cabriofoxoneS4cabriofoxone - 9/26/2007 1:00:39 AMView My AgentSpace
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NO. Everyone else has already mentioned everything.

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chewychewy - 9/26/2007 2:18:21 AMView My AgentSpace
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1,000 miles commuting in a prius/civic is not the same as 1,000 miles commuting in an F-350/Ferrari F-430

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chewychewy - 9/26/2007 2:21:35 AMView My AgentSpace
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after reading the article it now makes sense, but the bottom line is that they want more money, and most likely you will pay more than you do now

of course, good roads are nice and pricy


XYZZXYZZ - 9/26/2007 5:37:54 AM
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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!


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truckmentruckmen - 9/28/2007 4:46:31 AM
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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.

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MichaelMichael - 9/28/2007 9:16:24 AM
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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?

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truckmentruckmen - 9/28/2007 4:39:13 PM
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I secound that! I drive a 2007 civic.I used to be a truck man!


XYZZXYZZ - 9/29/2007 7:19:26 AM
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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. ;)



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