Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

California Mileage Tax Would Charge Drivers Based on Distance Driven
http://www.nbclosangeles.com ^ | may 6, 2014 | Jodi Hernandez and Chris Roberts

Posted on 05/07/2014 9:48:35 PM PDT by lowbridge

Sick of the gas tax?

What about a tax on every mile you drive?

A new bill going through Sacramento would tax drivers for every mile they are on the road.

The state gasoline tax of 52.9 cents per gallon could be replaced with a "miles driven fee" of $0.05 cents or so per mile driven, under state legislation proposed by a Bay Area lawmaker.

State transit officials note that there's not nearly enough money available to fix the many bridges and roads in California that are in desperate need of repair.

A federal highway fund, based on taxes on fuel, is expected to run dry this summer.

“We've got to figure out how to pay for infrastructure,” state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord) said. “One philosophy is, if you use it, you should pay for it.”

Under SB 1077, introduced by DeSaulnier, a still-to-be-determined California city would begin taxing motorists in January 2016. The longer your commute, the more you would pay.

That may yet be a tough sell, but a $0.05 per mile fee could raise over $100 billion for roads in some parts of the state, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.

(Excerpt) Read more at nbclosangeles.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: alreadypaid4; alreadypaidfor; ataxisatax; california; chrisroberts; concord; gastax; jodihernandez; lofan; markdesaulnier; mileagetax; moneysuckers; payasyougo; sb1077; tax; taxes; userpays; usetax; whatstheproblem
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 161 next last
To: scrabblehack

Thing is, I know how to disconnect a speedometer/odometer cable and judge speed from the tachometer...and how to block a GPS antenna. I’m going to drive remarkably few miles per year....


81 posted on 05/08/2014 5:03:14 AM PDT by ThunderSleeps (Stop obarma now! Stop the hussein - insane agenda!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 71 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

In the meantime, people who don’t work, and don’t pay taxes, are excited that there will be more money extracted from the few Californians who still work.


82 posted on 05/08/2014 5:11:07 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

You can bet they will have a ‘minimum miles’ charge tacked on case you park your vehicle.
Then, of course, administrative fees and any other fee they can think of added in.


83 posted on 05/08/2014 5:14:49 AM PDT by TangoLimaSierra (To win the country back, we need to be as mean as the libs say we are.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Salvavida

Gordon Freeman?


84 posted on 05/08/2014 5:15:17 AM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

Agenda 21 compliant......check


85 posted on 05/08/2014 5:21:25 AM PDT by eartick (Been to the line in the sand and liked it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: boatbums
They could do like they do here in North Carolina where you get taxed on your car EVERY YEAR based on its estimated value...

Yep, there's an annual property tax on vehicles here in Utah too.

I suppose it's based on this thinking:
1. You have a relatively new car,
2. so you must have a little money...
3. we want some of it.

There's also a sales tax on groceries.

86 posted on 05/08/2014 5:21:37 AM PDT by Max in Utah (A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: A Navy Vet; lowbridge; RginTN

A navy vet,

Agree with you 1000%.

When I lived in Cali I never voted for tax increases, or anything remotely resembling leftist proposals.

I had a job transfer (no work in Cali, but work elsewhere) so I got out 4 years ago.

Now am in Texas, but family drives out here for visits about 4x a year, and I drive back there twice a year.

Lotta driving for the Cali family members (!)


87 posted on 05/08/2014 5:24:40 AM PDT by WildHighlander57 ((WildHighlander57, returning after lurking since 2000)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: JennysCool

democrats just love and trust government

some others even on this forum do too

these people don’t realize that government is more of a problem than any supposed problem government is supposed to fix


88 posted on 05/08/2014 5:25:11 AM PDT by Democrat_media (Obama ordered IRS to rig 2012 election and must resign)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 62 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

Funding roads & bridges is supposed to be accomplished through the gasoline tax. The claim is that increasing mpg lowers the fund.

There is no way I want any government tracking my miles and whereabouts. That is a non-starter.

The gas tax, a sales tax, is the way to do it. NONE of those people do miles on a highway without using fuel. The little fuel that’s based on an electric vehicle plugged into an outlet is simply a micro portion of fuel used.

The highway tax should be based on the actual highway costs from the previous year, LESS the costs of bureaucracy salaries or any non-highway expense added to the highway budget. Divide that by the number of gallons sold from the previous year, and you’ll get the amount of tax needed per gallon.

It should then be set aside exclusively for highways.

And, I’m betting that the amount of tax will go DOWN.


89 posted on 05/08/2014 5:48:59 AM PDT by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ThunderSleeps

that’s why Obama and democrats have mandated a chip with GPS be installed into your body to track your every move.

http://www.thevoicemagazine.com/blog/health-care/obamas-dangerous-health-care-plan-obamas-microchip-mark/

President, Barack Obama has promised a massive change to “modernize health care by making all health records standardized and electronic.” Part of his ambitious health care program will be the computerizing of medical records of all Americans in order to make the health care process more cost-effective. — the VeriChip Corp., the US company creating microchip implants — The company’s executives have said their present push is the tagging of “high-risk” patients — diabetics and people with heart conditions or Alzheimer’s disease. — According to the company’s most recent SEC quarterly filing, 515 hospitals have pledged to take part in the VeriMed network — In early September, up to 200 Alzheimer’s patients living in the Palm Beach, Florida area were implanted with the microchip by the company VeriChip absolutely free. — People are already lining up for the VeriChip — there have been rumors on Wall Street, and elsewhere, of the potential uses for RFID in humans: the chipping of U.S. soldiers, of inmates, or of migrant workers, to name a few — Opponents believe the government is choosing the most vulnerable citizens for the initial implants — Alzheimer’s patients, the handicapped, retarded, the elderly — but eventually every human being in the US, Mexico and Canada will be required to have the microchip implants if only to keep track of them and their activities.


90 posted on 05/08/2014 5:52:55 AM PDT by Democrat_media (Obama ordered IRS to rig 2012 election and must resign)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge
That may yet be a tough sell, but a $0.05 per mile fee could raise over $100 billion for roads in some parts of the state, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported.

Apparently, those peasant leprechauns in California have pots o' gold just sitting around, waiting to be tapped...

91 posted on 05/08/2014 5:53:17 AM PDT by kiryandil (turning Americans into felons, one obnoxious drunk at a time (Zero Tolerance!!!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

So if you drive 15,000 miles a year, you will pay 750 dollars. How would this be paid? State tax form? How do you keep people honest? It seems since they want to screw the state residence, why not just add 500 dollars on to every registration? It seems easier to administer. Of course, I am against any new fees and taxes, but if they must then at least do it in a smart way.


92 posted on 05/08/2014 5:55:36 AM PDT by napscoordinator ( Santorum-Bachmann 2016 for the future of the country!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jiggyboy

You are on the money. The whole thing is designed to steal, er... “raise”, more revenue, and someone has to lose. Brilliant effects of this scheme:
1) Punishes responsible people and rewards gas-guzzlers.
2) Gives the State a reason to encourage driving as much as possible. Once the State profits by something, they will foster it.
3) Requires more bureaucrats and technical infrastructure to collect, which will devour the increased revenues and cost everyone money and trouble even beyond the taxes themselves.
4) Promotes “innovation” (of new forms of tax-avoidance and corruption).
5) Undermines freedom and privacy to track mileage.
6) Opens the door to limits on how much you are allowed to drive, and/or tiered rates.
7) Gives State politicians free rein to set the fee per mile, resulting in endless increases and incentives for “contributions” to support or deny increases. (I think they are somewhat blocked by the federal gasoline tax from setting their own rates — that’s why they don’t simply keep the current system with higher tax per gallon).
8) Since equal taxation is “unfair”, politicians will quickly pander to their constituents by awarding mileage tax rebates and credits to those below a certain income, including rebates to those who don’t drive. Mileage rates will be raised to fund the subsidy. More political battles, lobbying, “contributions” etc.

This is a corruption bonanza. Perfect for California.


93 posted on 05/08/2014 5:57:08 AM PDT by Chewbarkah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: ThunderSleeps

that’s why Obama and democrats have mandated a chip with GPS be installed into your body to track your every move.

here is an article on it and look at the comments from the liberals/democrats on there praising how great it is to be implanted with chips into their bodies:

http://www.vibrantnation.com/health-fitness/a-chip-to-be-put-in-people-in-2014-or-sooner/

President, Barack Obama has promised a massive change to “modernize health care by making all health records standardized and electronic.” Part of his ambitious health care program will be the computerizing of medical records of all Americans in order to make the health care process more cost-effective. — the VeriChip Corp., the US company creating microchip implants — The company’s executives have said their present push is the tagging of “high-risk” patients — diabetics and people with heart conditions or Alzheimer’s disease. — According to the company’s most recent SEC quarterly filing, 515 hospitals have pledged to take part in the VeriMed network — In early September, up to 200 Alzheimer’s patients living in the Palm Beach, Florida area were implanted with the microchip by the company VeriChip absolutely free. — People are already lining up for the VeriChip — there have been rumors on Wall Street, and elsewhere, of the potential uses for RFID in humans: the chipping of U.S. soldiers, of inmates, or of migrant workers, to name a few — Opponents believe the government is choosing the most vulnerable citizens for the initial implants — Alzheimer’s patients, the handicapped, retarded, the elderly — but eventually every human being in the US, Mexico and Canada will be required to have the microchip implants if only to keep track of them and their activities.


94 posted on 05/08/2014 5:59:46 AM PDT by Democrat_media (Obama ordered IRS to rig 2012 election and must resign)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

So what’s next for California, a tax for the number of times you take a breath each year?


95 posted on 05/08/2014 6:38:08 AM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gunsequalfreedom

Lol!
What do you propose to tax out the kazoo when the miles driven per diem drops dramatically?
It can easily be achieved you should know.


96 posted on 05/08/2014 6:59:51 AM PDT by bill1952 (taxes don't hurt the rich, they keep YOU from becoming rich.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

Unfortunately, if this was set up so the money that we would pay, this would be the fairest way to pay for road use.

My wife’s Lexus is 10+ years old and just turned 50K miles, and my medium size pickup is 6 years old with 40k miles.

If it was fair, our road upkeep tax cost per year per vehicle would be less than someone pounding the pavement over 40,000 miles per year with each vehicle.

Probably the biggest road wear and damage comes from the big trucks and in our state, many trucks are from out of state. Most of these trucks have some sort of GPS system, to tally a road use tax.

Vehicle weight is another factor re tearing/wearing down roads.

Before people go ballistic on paying your fair cost on road use.

What if restaurants charged the same for a couple who splits a meal, has one glass of house wine each and shares a salad, and a dessert versus a couple demanding several name brand drinks before dinner, ordering two of the most expensive entrees, salads, ordering the most expensive wine in the restaurant, having two of the most expensive desserts in the restaurant with an expensive after dinner drink and a expensive coffee combo. Time wise the first couple is an out of the restaurant in about 45 minutes, and the second couple could claim squatters rights.

How often would you have dinner with the second couple if they asked for a single bill and divided the cost by 2?


97 posted on 05/08/2014 7:15:01 AM PDT by Grampa Dave ( Herr Obama cannot divert resources from his war on Americans!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lowbridge

“State transit officials note that there’s not nearly enough money available to fix the many bridges and roads in California that are in desperate need of repair.”

“NOT nearly enough money available”, because the Democrats stole it all for their party purposes to buy votes.


98 posted on 05/08/2014 7:25:34 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will. They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: icwhatudo

They’ll keep the gas tax instead of exchanging it for this scam, but will change the name of the tax, as well call it a fee.


99 posted on 05/08/2014 7:26:38 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will. They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: GeronL

Everyone here at FR needs to remember that Governor Grey Davis emptied the road fuel tax coffers more than once when he was in charge in California.

He literally put an IOU into the records for all that money & put the money into the General Fund, where it as squandered on many of California’s social programs.

That was one of the reasons he got recalled & replaced by Arnold.


100 posted on 05/08/2014 7:38:50 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 61-8081-100101-120 ... 161 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson