[seanhenry]

Please find creative ways to tax me more. I presently don't pay enough.

[JimG2]

An extra $400, $200, $100, per month for tolls. Where are most CT families going to come up with that extra money?

[JimG2]

Then there is the ripple effect. There are thousands of business vehicles on the road. Outside salespeople, delivery services, contractors, etc that now may see a $200-$400 additional cost, PER VEHICLE, that they will have no choice but to pass on to the customers.

[synchem]

Lower the state tax on gas to put our prices closer to surrounding states.

Implement tolls with higher prices for out-of-staters. This is the fairest way to have the poeple who use the roads pay for them.

If I was proposing tolls I wouldn't have it be an increase over what we are paying towards transportation but to mainly capture more revenue from out of state drivers that go through CT. All our surrounding states have tolls and we should too. Gas tax is an out dated way to rely on transportation funding. As fuel efficiency increases (or electric vehicles) gas is used less and less. Out of state drivers can fill up in NJ Or NY and drive all the way to Mass without stopping, ie. using our roads for "free".

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by synchem

Lower the state tax on gas to put our prices closer to surrounding states.

Implement tolls with higher prices for out-of-staters. This is the fairest way to have the poeple who use the roads pay for them.

If I was proposing tolls I wouldn't have it be an increase over what we are paying towards transportation but to mainly capture more revenue from out of state drivers that go through CT. All our surrounding states have tolls and we should too. Gas tax is an out dated way to rely on transportation funding. As fuel efficiency increases (or electric vehicles) gas is used less and less. Out of state drivers can fill up in NJ Or NY and drive all the way to Mass without stopping, ie. using our roads for "free".

Agree. Out of staters clogging up our roads for free is infuriating.

[davwve]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

I'd adjust the toll rates based on number of occupants in the car. 4 people would be dirt cheap at rush hour. Single occupant very expensive.

Rely on image technology to count on number of occupants? Wonder how reliable that would be with especially SUVs where manufactures darkly tint rear passenger windows, or the detection of children, etc.


Then you have to worry about insurance carriers buying that data to rate your premiums.

[RunD1987]

Think the smartest thing the State can do is eliminate car taxes at the local level. Create a 2 to 3 percent yearly tax on the value of vehicles you own.

Eliminate gas tax.

Allow towns and cities to implement a 2% or less local sales tax to compensate for loss of taxes on vehicles.

Create bridge tolls through out the State that operate M to F.

Lower sales tax to 4% and in 10 yrs lower sales tax to 2%.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by davwve

Rely on image technology to count on number of occupants? Wonder how reliable that would be with especially SUVs where manufactures darkly tint rear passenger windows, or the detection of children, etc.


Then you have to worry about insurance carriers buying that data to rate your premiums.

If you tint your windows so the camera can't count occupants, you pay the expensive 1 occupant toll. Not my problem.


I'll bet insurance providers already get your travel pattern from Google since so many people use Google Maps and Waze on their smartphones.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by WouldLoveTo

2K is still a lot for lower income people, say at under 40K/yr.

Kind of reminds me of what a couple of you say about states taxing groceries, what do you call it? A regressive tax? Except it would be really hard to spend 2K on grocery taxes.

That $2,000 is for someone who travels 20,000 miles per year on tolled expressways. That is a LOT of miles and very uncommon for most people. I used information from past posts and the data given RunD1987 to come up with that amount. Also note that they could see a reduction in other taxes they pay as a result of tolls so it is no where near the $2,000 being quoted.

Grocery taxes are entirely different. People can't survive without buying food so tax groceries, in my mind, is just obscene. People can live without a car and without driving on an expressway. They can't live without buying food. Jay

[RunD1987]

Originally Posted by JayCT

That $2,000 is for someone who travels 20,000 miles per year on tolled expressways. That is a LOT of miles and very uncommon for most people. I used information from past posts and the data given RunD1987 to come up with that amount. Also note that they could see a reduction in other taxes they pay as a result of tolls so it is no where near the $2,000 being quoted.

Grocery taxes are entirely different. People can't survive without buying food so tax groceries, in my mind, is just obscene. People can live without a car and without driving on an expressway. They can't live without buying food. Jay

I don't know pretty hard to live without a car in CT.