The trade-in value on your Prius, fortwo, MINI, etc., is about to take a hit:
Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood is considering a transportation tax based on miles driven, to replace gasoline tax revenue. “We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled,” La Hood tells the Freep, echoing proposals being considered by Oregon, Idaho, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and North Carolina. La Hood argues that gasoline tax revenues “can not be relied on” to fund infrastructure maintenance, presumably because relatively high prices have caused a downturn in gas tax revenue.
Increasing the gas tax would have the effect of getting more people out of SUVs and into hybrids and smaller cars. Charging everyone the same amount for the miles they drive… well, doesn’t.
They told me if I voted for John McCain, the government would encourage people to waste gas — and they were right!
And, of course, whatever big-brother-esque method used to track your vehicle for said tax will never, ever be abused.
Here’s a wild and crazy idea. Tax vehicles more based on the engine displacement and gross weight. Net result: Cheaper fuel, no GPS ear tag jammed up your butt, and a whole lot more light weight (chew up the roads less), relatively fuel efficient (turbo 4/6 cyl) cars. Like, to pose the only freakin’ example on the market, the Lotus Elise.
Gee, they told me if I voted Republican then the government would spy on me.
They told me if I supported Sarah Palin for vice-president we’d have a bunch of dunderheads running the government. Looking about right so far.
This is stupid, all right. Yes, a hybrid takes up as much space on the roads as a non-hybrid, but fuel is the thing to tax. Why? More fuel use is about the best indicator of road usage and wear. Heavier vehicles tear up roads much faster than lighter ones, so they should pay more to use them. And they already do. And if a Mini Cooper drives a lot, there’s a good chance it uses a lot of gas (as coasting downhill only gets you so far.)
This started when people weren’t buying enough gas to fund some states’ coffers to the desired levels. It’s the same (il)logic that got cigarette taxes to pay for healthcare. No one ever thought that that was a risky proposition, just like my state and its brilliant reliance on property and sales taxes. Great when things are good, extra bad when things go sour. And things are going extra sour.
…except for Rush Limbaugh.
<ducks, runs, gets hit anyway>
There was sarcasm dripping from my fingers as I typed that. You should have seen the way they arched when I typed “brilliantly” in that next sentence. They resembled the haughtiest cats in the world getting up after a good nap.
They told me if I voted for John McCain, the government would encourage people to waste gas — and they were right!
Shouldn’t you have voted for McCain before saying that?
Or did you plug your nose real tight and vote for the assh*le after all (like I did)?
Greg –
Nah, I voted for Bob Barr. I saw Obama’s Colorado ground operation first hand, and McCain’s, too. And saw no need to throw away my vote on bad Republican when I could throw it away on a bad Libertarian.
But that won’t stop me from stealing a great line from Glenn Reynolds now and then.