Marylanders could be charged a per-mile driving tax

[diablo234]

Originally Posted by MrRational

Rather much like how electric RATES go up when KWH usage goes down.

Raise the motor per gallon fuel tax RATE (if we must).
Don't put another new straw into our wallets.

Just raising the motor per gallon fuel tax rate will not do any good in the future if most new passenger vehicles won't even require gasoline to begin with. Already you have several plug in hybrids that are already available on the market which means that for short commutes/errands you will not even need to stop at a fuel pump.

[kcmo]

I understand why it's needed, the gas tax is not going to work for much longer do to for fuel efficient cars etc. But they need to find a better way to tax people than placing GPS devices in people's cars. That's WAY too intrusive.

[boreatwork]

You see this is the stuff I originally joined this board for. The utter BS coming from who knows where and the next thing you know its implemented without question or resistance. Then people start crying and complaining like what happened to yesterday. I have read on this nonsense about this proposal YEARS ago. Another form of control is basically what it is. You think "they" is the state of MD? This has nothing to do with Maryland. I would be very worried and mad this legislation is even being proposed.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by boreatwork

I would be very worried and mad this legislation is even being proposed.

I don't think it is a conspiracy. The clue to this is in the contradictory nature of the proposal: to reduce vehicle emissions while simultaneously incorporating a tax that will help recoup reduced gas tax revenue collected from hybrid/electric vehicle ownership. The irony is that in Maryland there is currently an up to $1,000 State tax credit for new hybrid/electric vehicle purchase (expires in 2017).

The Fed. Gov. also gives tax credits to new hybrid/electric vehicle ownership.

As for GPS units, this is simply not a feasible option. The units themselves would more-than-likely not come at a low cost and would require "professional" installation to ensure the units cannot be easily accessed/removed/altered.

Also, GPS jammers do exist in case you did not know.

Self-reporting of miles....eh, not going to happen.

Another non-GPS device to track miles... this is what Oregon is looking at. The main flaw is how does it know if you are driving out-of-state? Oregon is proposing to initiate the per-mile tax (currently being tested at 1.5¢/mile) and remove their gas tax. This is the most fair since it will not penalize non-hydrid owners.

The big issue with both of the above would come with enforcement of non-compliance. I am talking about the numbers of college students, contract workers, Military personnel, and so on who keep their vehicles registered to another state and of those Marylanders who would simply refuse. Perhaps a fine would be issued if they got pulled over for what-ever reason?

Realistically, what would happen would be that your milage would be reported to the State at time of emissions testing. They already collect your milage as it is. And of course there would be no way to prove all of those miles were driven on Maryland roads.

The good news, if you want to think of it that way, is that the VMT, if passed, would most surely ensure a Republican victory in the proceeding elections.

[westsideboy]

How about this crazy idea.

- Charge public transportation users the actual cost of building and maintaining the systems through ticket fees.
- Charge road transportation users the actual cost of building and maintain the systems through the gas tax (like a road fee because if you don't drive, you don't buy gas.)
- Make sure each of the two cash flows is kept separate, so government doesn't put itself in the role of determining economic winners and losers based on the personal ideology of legislators.

[K-Luv]

Every person who purchases an item in the state of Maryland helps fund public transportation in part through a portion of the sales tax paid and collected. Federal money also helps pay for a portion of it. The money collected at the fare box goes towards operational costs and is known as fare box recovery. In the U.S., fbr is generally low but in other countries it can be as high as 100%. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand our tax dollars pay for the system; pay for the fleets, routes, buildings, and so on whether we use it or not, but then we have to pay again, essentially paying twice, to actually ride it. It's not fair to those who pay for the system[s] yet never ride them and it is not fair for those who do and pay twice. I sometimes wonder if the public transportation system and the riders would be better served if the whole system were to be privatized.

To the gas tax: the point is that with hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and better gas mileage (which is a Federal mandate) are all causing a decrease in gas-tax revenue yet these vehicles put wear and tear on the roads just as every other vehicle. It's really a matter of having your cake and eating it, too.

I agree with your last point (westsideboy).

[boreatwork]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Every person who purchases an item in the state of Maryland helps fund public transportation in part through a portion of the sales tax paid and collected. Federal money also helps pay for a portion of it. The money collected at the fare box goes towards operational costs and is known as fare box recovery. In the U.S., fbr is generally low but in other countries it can be as high as 100%. I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand our tax dollars pay for the system; pay for the fleets, routes, buildings, and so on whether we use it or not, but then we have to pay again, essentially paying twice, to actually ride it. It's not fair to those who pay for the system[s] yet never ride them and it is not fair for those who do and pay twice. I sometimes wonder if the public transportation system and the riders would be better served if the whole system were to be privatized.

To the gas tax: the point is that with hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and better gas mileage (which is a Federal mandate) are all causing a decrease in gas-tax revenue yet these vehicles put wear and tear on the roads just as every other vehicle. It's really a matter of having your cake and eating it, too.

I agree with your last point (westsideboy).

So if all these taxes reach their destinations without hands in the jar then we wouldn't come up short at any state or federal level budget.

[Merc63]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

The irony is that in Maryland there is currently an up to $1,000 State tax credit for new hybrid/electric vehicle purchase (expires in 2017).

The Fed. Gov. also gives tax credits to new hybrid/electric vehicle ownership.

Yeah, that's an irony alright.

"we want you to use less gas and pollute less, so we''l pay you to drive an EV.

Oh wait, we're losing gas tax so that money we are paying you? Give it back to us in mileage taxes."

Yeah, that's logical. They need to make up their minds on whether they want to promote their use or tax their use. If they go to a tax per mile driven, I'll go back to my SUV and not continue my EV lease.

Realistically, what would happen would be that your milage would be reported to the State at time of emissions testing. They already collect your milage as it is. And of course there would be no way to prove all of those miles were driven on Maryland roads.

And I have two cars that don't get tested for emissions in MD, as they are historic vehicles. Yeah, they don't get used much so there aren't many miles being put on them, but they'd have to be self reported...

[MidValleyDad]

A fuel tax that goes beyond gas and diesel is one obvious solution, a 'tire tax' would be another Both would be proportional based on the overall use of the vehicle.

The real problem is the raiding of the transportation trust fund for general fund use. The gas tax issue would be less severe if the legislature would leave the transportation trust fund to be used for transportation use only.