Tim Howard > wrote in
:

> Oregon looks at taxing mileage instead of gasoline
> By RYAN KOST, Associated Press Writer Ryan Kost, Associated Press Writer
> – Sat Jan 3, 7:38 am ET
>
>
> PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring
> ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of
> how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring
> devices in 300 vehicles. The idea first emerged nearly 10 years ago as
> Oregon lawmakers worried that fuel-efficient cars such as gas-electric
> hybrids could pose a threat to road upkeep, which is paid for largely
> with gasoline taxes.
>
> "I'm glad we're taking a look at it before the potholes get so big that
> we can't even get out of them," said Leroy Younglove, a Portland driver
> who participated in a recent pilot program.
>
> The proposal is not without critics, including drivers who are concerned
> about privacy and others who fear the tax could eliminate the financial
> incentive for buying efficient vehicles.
>
> But Oregon is ahead of the nation in exploring the concept, even though
> it will probably be years before any mileage tax is adopted.
>
> Congress is talking about it, too. A congressional commission has
> envisioned a system similar to the prototype Oregon tested in 2006-2007.
>
> The National Commission on Surface Transportation Infrastructure
> Financing is considering calling for higher gas taxes to keep highways,
> bridges and transit programs in good shape.
>
> But over the long term, commission members say, the nation should
> consider taxing mileage rather than gasoline as drivers use more
> fuel-efficient and electric vehicles.
>
> As cars burn less fuel, "the gas tax isn't going to fill the bill," said
> Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, a member of the House Transportation and
> Infrastructure Committee.
>
> The next Congress "could begin to set the stage, perhaps looking at some
> much more robust pilot programs, to begin the research, to work with
> manufacturers."
>
> Gov. Ted Kulongoski has included development money for the tax in his
> budget proposal, and interest is growing in a number of other states.
>
> Governors in Idaho and Rhode Island have considered systems that would
> require drivers to report their mileage when they register vehicles.
>
> In North Carolina last month, a panel suggested charging motorists a
> quarter-cent for every mile as a substitute for the gas tax.
>
> James Whitty, the Oregon Department of Transportation employee in charge
> of the state's effort, said he's also heard talk of mileage tax
> proposals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado and Minnesota.
>
> "There is kind of a coalition that's naturally forming around this," he
> said.
>
> Also fueling the search for alternatives is the political difficulty of
> raising gasoline taxes.
>
> The federal gas tax has not been raised since 1993, and nearly two dozen
> states have not changed their taxes since 1997, according to the
> American Road & Transportation Builders Association.
>
> In Oregon's pilot program, officials equipped 300 vehicles with GPS
> transponders that worked wirelessly with service station pumps, allowing
> drivers to pay their mileage tax just as they do their gas tax.
>
> Whitty said the test, which involved two gas stations in the Portland
> area, proved the idea could work.
>
> Though the GPS devices did not track the cars' locations in great
> detail, they could determine when a driver had left certain zones, such
> as the state of Oregon. They also kept track of the time the driving was
> done, so a premium could be charged for rush-hour mileage.
>
> The proposal envisions a gradual change, with manufacturers installing
> the technology in new vehicles because retrofitting old cars would be
> too expensive. Owners of older vehicles would continue to pay gasoline
> taxes.
>
> The difference in tax based on mileage or on gasoline would be small —
> "pennies per transaction at the pump," Whitty said.
>
> But the mileage tax still faces several major obstacles.
>
> For one, Oregon accounts for only a small part of auto sales, so the
> state can't go it alone. A multistate or national system would be
> needed.
>
> Another concern is that such devices could threaten privacy. Whitty said
> he and his task force have assured people that the program does not
> track detailed movement and that driving history is not stored and
> cannot be accessed by law enforcement agencies.
>
> "I think most people will come to realize there is really no tracking
> issue and will continue to buy new cars," Whitty said, noting that many
> cell phones now come equipped with GPS, which has not deterred
> customers.
>
> Others are worried that a mileage tax would undermine years of
> incentives to switch toward more fuel-efficient vehicles.
>
> "It doesn't seem fair," said Paul Niedergang of Portland, that a hybrid
> would be taxed as much as his Dodge pickup. "I just think the gas tax
> needs to be updated."
>
> Lynda Williams, also of Portland, was not immediately sold on the idea
> but said it was worth consideration.
>
> "We all have to be open-minded," she said. "Our current system just
> isn't working."

Well then I guess you should replace yourselves with someone competent to
do the job and/or get the Feds to pay their fair share. Both are the
problem here. Nothing else.