It looks like we're in for another tax. (Davis, Orland: good schools, income)

[dexter14]

Oh, so the government wants to watch where we drive now AND get us to pay them to spy on us? Wonderful! Of course the anti 2nd amendment, communists that run this God forsaken state will be all over this one with all the people and drivers here. CA once again will be the testing ground for unconstitutional, communist laws.

[Ghostly1]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Oh, so the government wants to watch where we drive now AND get us to pay them to spy on us? Wonderful! Of course the anti 2nd amendment, communists that run this God forsaken state will be all over this one with all the people and drivers here. CA once again will be the testing ground for unconstitutional, communist laws.

So for goodness sake, leave already. t will lower your blood pressure and give everyone else a rest from your negativity.

[volosong]

Originally Posted by WeakandDizzy

If it replaced the gas tax and was done in a reasonable way with the revenue going to road construction and maintenance ( and not pensions, schools, etc.) I would not be against it. We all have to pay for roads. Why shouldn't the people who use them the most pay the most? ...

As a life long resident of this state, I've pretty much become anti-tax. We are taxed too much, (for what we, as "normal" citizens get). However, I like this idea. But only if, as WeakandDizzy said, it replaced the existing per gallon gas tax. Those who use a resource the most should pay the most. And while I drive very fuel efficient cars, (a diesel that gets 35 mpg and a hybrid SUV) I have a 45-mile one-way commute every day. My commute expense is high, (I do ride in a vanpool about half the time).

[volosong]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Oh, so the government wants to watch where we drive now AND get us to pay them to spy on us? Wonderful! Of course the anti 2nd amendment, communists that run this God forsaken state will be all over this one with all the people and drivers here. CA once again will be the testing ground for unconstitutional, communist laws.

There appears to be an option to track mileage without the device having a GPS receiver. Without that, they will know how many miles one drives, but not where or when.

[Dean Trails]

I will treat this law, if it is ever implemented, as do the folks in our State that come here illegally and break so many laws as allowed by the Pols in power.
I will drive a car so old that a black box can't be attached to it.
I have my own form of civil disobedience until the rule of law is followed in our State. Which, i suppose will last pretty much forever!

[zdg]

Originally Posted by mbell75

Oh, so the government wants to watch where we drive now AND get us to pay them to spy on us? Wonderful! Of course the anti 2nd amendment, communists that run this God forsaken state will be all over this one with all the people and drivers here. CA once again will be the testing ground for unconstitutional, communist laws.

From the second amendment:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Are you in a militia? No? Oh. So really, you just keep trotting this out, not because you give a rat's anus about the Constitution, but because you believe that guns make you safe in the face of study after study to the contrary and it makes it easy for you to not have to defend your position by yelling "CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS!" even though you have no intention of joining a militia to defend the American peoples from the King of England or his successor in 1776 America.

Communism, the definition from the free dictionary:

A theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common advantage of all members.

That's funny, I'm looking at deed and title to my house as I type this and it seems to say that I own my house, not the government. A quick glance at my car title seems to come up with the same result. And, hey wait a second, the government didn't make you a photographer; you chose that yourself! In fact, the state of California has made it ridiculously easy for you to do what you do by cultivating one of the most robust fashion industries on the face of the Earth. So, it's almost like not only is California not "communist" but quite the opposite.

I can't help you on the God forsaken thing. I'm not mentally ill, so I lack the ability to question your deity on his or her choice of American states to renounce.

I do find it fascinating that you're planning to move (soon, we all hope) from California to the third most liberal state in the union (well ahead of California) to get away from all the liberals and "illegals" and "communists." As of yet, the only thing I can think of that Portland has that Anaheim does not is a lack of minorities; so that should make you much more comfortable. But if you don't have people of Mexican descent to blame for all your troubles, who will you find to scapegoat? I guess that will be the poor members of the PORTLAND C-D board's problem.

[mgforshort]

Just like one of the previous posters stated, the drivers of fully electric cars don't pay for gas - therefore no gas tax to be collected by the state. The hybrids use much less gas - therefore much less gas tax goes money goes to the state.
Fuel conservation is terrific until the cash dries up, so here comes the idea of a black box.
If we would all just restore that 72 Pontiac we had in high school, the one with the big engine and 11 mpg in city driving, the black box idea would fade away.

The thing I can't understand is that smaller states with less traffic, less tax revenue always have their roads in much better shape than the greater Los Angeles - Orange County area. We pay ten times more gas tax as Oregon or Northern California, but our roads down here often resemble third world conditions.
The money is there, but unfortunately our leaders hate to spend it on the roads when they can buy $ 500 dollar iPads for thirteen-year- old school children.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Generally speaking, those with long commutes are not 1%ers or even 10%ers. Many are more like 80%ers or even lower.

Since they have run many of the middle class out of the state, and, the rich can only be taxed so much, guess what!

[dexter14]

Originally Posted by zdg

Are you in a militia? No? Oh. So really, you just keep trotting this out, not because you give a rat's anus about the Constitution, but because you believe that guns make you safe in the face of study after study to the contrary and it makes it easy for you to not have to defend your position by yelling "CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS!" even though you have no intention of joining a militia to defend the American peoples from the King of England or his successor in 1776 America.

If this is true, please tell me why most mass shooting happens in GUN FREE zones like schools. I was just at a gun range over the weekend and it was packed, about 150-200 people and guns everywhere, no one got hurt. Why don't you ever hear about shootings at gun ranges, gun shows or other places with many loaded guns around? Also, please tell me why with all of the law abiding citizens carrying guns around the country, the vast majority of gun violence incidents are caused by criminals while the people legally carrying them never use them. Amazing isn't it?

[Mack Knife]

My take is that the technology could be and probably will be used for other purposes. No, it doesn't have to follow in some conspiracy theory way but the imaginations of the government are amazing. They dream up all kinds of things when it comes to revenue collection.

The state could just as easily tie the vehicle registrations to miles driven and even explain that those who drive more create more wear on the roads than those who drive less. Perfectly reasonable until government gets involved and then who knows where it leads? Toll roads are a natural and since wear to road surfaces can be linked to vehicle weight as well, the person driving a heavier car pays more tax than one who drives a lighter one.

Its interesting to note that California, specifically the Golden Gate Transit District is contemplating raising the bridge toll to address a revenue shortage so that maintenance can be performed. That the maintenance was deferred means little because it was paid for a long time ago. For decades, the tolls were used to pay for the construction. Then it was used to pay for maintenance, then to subsidize public transportation because it isn't self sufficient, and now to do those things that should have been getting done all along but weren't.

The toll takers were replaced by technology that is working just fine. You can zip through the tolls and a high speed camera captures you license plate number and you get an invoice. Refuse to pay and the Franchise Tax board will explain it to you as will the motor vehicle department.

If you think those records aren't used for other things, how could a law enforcement agency pass up the opportunity to seek those records to verify when a specific vehicle passed through the toll booth? Not all that difficult.

BTW, the pictures taken are of the driver too. Yes, knowing if you specifically drove through the toll isn't hard to ascertain. If you did, they do know when, how fast and what car you were driving.