This isn’t really new news, as I’ve seen it around before, but I think it’s finally it graces these pages. Basically, Oregon is trying to implement a new road tax. Unlike previous road taxes which have been collected at the pump, Oregon thinks it’s about time we start taxing people per mile. This will be accomplished by throwing untold amounts of money at the problem via new technology to monitor your vehicle through a “black box”; a problem that never was a problem, you simple raise the gasoline tax to increase revenue.
Now, from another article, we find out that Oregon is “one of 10 states to have adopted a ‘clean cars program’”. Which then not intend to use in order to extort money out of people. It’s interesting how the government wants to have it’s cake and eat it too with this one: people buying fuel effecient vehicles, while still making money on gasoline tax.
As a high mileage vehicle owner, I am obviously not thrilled about this at all. One of the reasons that I purchased a high milage vehicle was to cut down on costs at the pump. This new billing mechanism completely ruins this. Plus, who does all the road damage? I can garauntee you my little Jetta does incredibly less road damage than a F150, Hummer, or anything else that gets less than 20 mpg.
Granted, I’m sure if this would go into effect, people would be disconnecting them or modifying them somehow, against the law of course, but just to be in defiance. Plus, I’m not all about the government knowing where I’m driving my car, nor should they care. However, I probably would save money on this in the long term, since I don’t drive my car that often.
The best quote from the above mentioned NY Times article though is
Mr. Whitty said he had heard of some drivers of fuel-efficient vehicles being upset. Others, though, were feeling guilt about having paid fewer taxes than most drivers, he said.
I would personally like to meet these people that feel guilty about paying less to fill up there cars. Because I’m positive that they don’t exist.
Just get responsible, save the tax payers millions of dollars on not testing this black box that they aren’t going to want, and raise the gasoline tax. Why change something that’s not broken?