Transportation agency: Obama will not pursue mileage tax

[RamboLiberal]

Source: CNN

The Obama administration will not support a policy of taxing drivers based on their mileage, the Transportation Department said Friday after a published interview in which Secretary Ray LaHood called it an idea "we should look at."

In a written statement, the department said, "The policy of taxing motorists based on how many miles they have traveled is not and will not be Obama administration policy."

The idea -- which involves tracking drivers through Global Positioning System (GPS) units in their cars -- is gaining support in some states as a way of making up for a shortfall in highway funding. Oregon carried out a pilot program and deemed it "successful."

Speaking to The Associated Press, Transportation Secretary LaHood, an Illinois Republican, said, "We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled." The remark was part of a discussion about various options to help make up for the highway funding shortfall on the federal level.

When contacted by CNN, the Transportation Department said LaHood was unavailable. A spokeswoman provided the department's statement and said she could not elaborate.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/20/driving.tax/

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But beware states are still thinking of this.

[LiberalFighter]

1. Can't they figure out how many vehicles travel how many miles without GPS?

They probably know how much gas is sold by geographical location.

[kirby]

2. But then...

But then that doesnt allow the insurance companies to spy on your driving speeds and charge you different rates. And it wouldn't allow law enforcement to send you tickets in the mail if you exceed the speed limit based on the GPS installed in your vehicle. This would be big brother at its finest.

[Lucky Luciano]

4. Big Brother Indeed! Not cool at all!

Besides this tax (if it absolutely must exist) should penalize gas guzzlers more than eco-friendly cars - best way to do that would be from increasing the gasoline tax (which I would obviously not support) and avoiding this privacy intrusion.

[Heywood J]

5. Yes.

It's called an odometer, and it's submitted at time of registration renewal.

[LiberalFighter]

6. Not done here in Indiana

[lurky]

3. Sounds like someone forgot who the boss was

and got himself slapped down....

:D

[marksmithfield]

7. Good

That was a terribly wrong idea on a lot of levels

[Vinca]

8. Dumb idea. It would require creating a whole new big brother agency . . .

among other things.