States mulling tax on mileage
By BRETT DUNLAPPARKERSBURG - As the country begins the shift to more fuel-efficent vehicles, state lawmakers have a number of concerns about a program being considered in states around West Virginia calling for the taxation of miles drived as opposed to a tax on gasoline.
Gasoline taxes that fund roads and highway maintenance will take a hit as cars use less fuel. The National Commission on Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing is already considering calling for higher gasoline taxes to fund highways, bridges and transit programs.
A pilot program in Oregon, which is also being considered in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado and Minnesota, had global positioning system transponders that worked wirelessly with service station pumps, allowing drivers to pay their mileage tax just as they do their gasoline tax. Other programs to tax mileage are being considered in Idaho, Rhode Island and North Carolina.
Although the GPS devices did not track locations in great detail, they could determine when a driver had left certain zones, such as the state of Oregon. They also kept track of the time the driving was done, so a premium could be charged for rush-hour mileage.
Driving history is not stored and cannot be accessed by law enforcement agencies.
The proposal envisions a gradual change, with manufacturers installing the technology in new vehicles because retrofitting old cars would be too expensive. Owners of older vehicles would continue to pay gasoline taxes.
Delegate John Ellem, R-Wood, said he had never heard of the program before, but said it sounded intrusive and could raise Constitutional issues about an unreasonable invasion of privacy, depending on how adept the GPS systems are in tracking anyone's movements.
Ellem serves on the House Roads and Transportation committee.
Also, by paying taxes by mileage does not create a desire for people to take longer trips or to travel more.
''It takes away that incentive,'' Ellem said.
Ellem said as the country moves to more fuel-efficent vehicles in the next 30 years or so, new revenue opportunities will present themselves for states.
''I believe that there will be other ways to deal with this revenue issue,'' he said. ''I really don't see (taxing of miles through a GPS system) as a practical solution.''
Delegate Tom Azinger, R-Wood, also said he had not heard of the program, but noted the state has not seen a significant population growth in awhile. As people purchase more fuel-efficient cars, there will eventually be more of those on the road than older cars.
He said the state might have to look at ways of restructuring how highway maintenance is paid for, either structuring it so the state can take it directly out of the general revenue fund or finding another solution.
Sen. Frank Deem, R-Wood, said he has heard of the program and would have to hear all sides of the issue before he would decide on it.
''It is something that I am willing to listen to,'' he said.
He compared the system to people paying to drive on a toll road where those tolls help pay for the road's upkeep.
''I would have to see what the benefits and the negatives to it,'' he said. ''I would have to hear both sides of the issue.''
The state's transportation department is aware of the proposal and continues to monitor the evolving situation, said Lara Ramsburg, communications director for Gov. Joe Manchin's office. Many states' road funds are not bringing in the money they use to and new alternatives are being looked at.
''We know that other states are looking at this model and the federal government has been looking at a similar model,'' she said. ''We aren't making any plans to change the structure of how state road fund until the federal government changes its road fund structure.''
Ramsburg said the state's road fund structure is setup similar to the federal government's. Ramsburg added the federal government will be doing more work to see what measures will be effective in the long term.
''We are waiting to see what they do,'' she said. ''Once they start to make some changes, that will give us a better idea how to restructure our system.''
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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pacrat00
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01-07-09 7:26 PM
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WILL NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE! The Federal and State goverments will keep the gasoline tax. If people are charged by the miles THEY drive then people will start to drive less thus the goverments will still riecive less money. Plus it would take at least 20-25 years before they would see any grat amount of money coming in from this system because people keep there cars longer. I see a large number of 1990's & '80's on the road now, plus a lot of '70's. I don't ever plan on buying a new(er) car, I just buy low milage '60's and '70's.
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JCB1964
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01-07-09 7:05 PM
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Who founded Exxon Oil, John D. Rockefeller, who's grandson is,........ John D."Jay" Rockefeller, our Senator. Think he needs more of our money???
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don26103
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01-07-09 6:28 PM
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when has anyone ever known any goverment office to remove a tax and replace it with another one whereby a taxpayer can save money ? I'm over 55 years old and seen them add another and never removed the first one. goes back to the ole adage "tax payer will pay more and get less and get more work". some needs to reread the history books again.
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thesafe1
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01-07-09 1:48 PM
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The comments here make me chuckle. Did anyone actually read the article or just the headline. The very first paragraph states very clearly that "this tax would REPLACE the gas tax." Everyone gets so excited when they see the words "new tax." Slow down, take a breath, and read the article. Now, take yourself back to third grade when you learned how to do a story problem in math class. If you're paying 50 cents tax on a gallon of gas now and getting 25 miles to the gallon, you're essentially paying 2 cents tax per mile. If you drive a gas-guzzler, this is a good deal for you. You're only getting 10 miles to the gallon, so instead of paying 50 cents tax on that gallon of gas, you're paying 20 cents. If you're driving a very fuel efficient vehicle and get 35 miles to the gallon, you'll pay a little more. Instead of paying 50 cents tax per gallon, you'll be paying about 70 cents. Relax, you'll still be able to visit a sick family member in the hospital.
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Suzukirider
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01-07-09 12:49 PM
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Hmm.... I am already taxed on the miles I drive. I pay it in my gas price. Theres a fuel tax add into that. If I drive more, I buy more gas; I then pay more tax for driving more. If people are switching to hybrid, less gas using cars... hid the tax in that manufacturing/purchasing. Dont make us all suffer for some hippy liberal that needs a trendy car.
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tubaman
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01-07-09 11:24 AM
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Oh my god. This is about the most stupid thing I have ever heard of. Penalize someone because they choose to live in A and commute to B?!?!?!?!!? What about people whose family members are in a hospital somewhere? They are penalized for that??? Sorry mom, I can't come to see you this weekend, because I can't afford the mileage tax. This society is doomed.
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concernedcitizen
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01-07-09 11:11 AM
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Terrible idea. Especially with people having to travel further and further to find decent jobs. It would be different in large metro areas with lots of public transportation options and employers within close proximity to one another.
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intheshadows
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01-07-09 10:23 AM
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So does that mean that you (State) will pave and maintain the road of mud I live on now? Didn't think so. GPS for tracking my travels? Forget about it. Of course who's to say it isn't in place already.
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buckeyegal77
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01-07-09 9:48 AM
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Unless I work for a company that pays me mileage - it's no one's business how many miles I drive. This is just another way for Big Brother to screw over the poor. Trucks over certain GVW already pay a road/fuel tax depending on how many miles they drive, in which state, and how many gallons of fuel they purchase. If this is the case - how many miles do government officials drive?? That money should come out of their pocket not ours. I think we all need to write our representatives and tell them what we think. Not that it will probably do any good, but maybe if enough people write - who knows.
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Dick33
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01-07-09 9:11 AM
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Surely these folks must be kidding. Good grief, here in Texas it would take a years wages to get anywhere a person needed to be. Heck, I have to drive 87 miles just to visit the VA Hospital. What next dudes?
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mythravere
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01-07-09 8:39 AM
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I wonder if a VAT tax would work over here so that social projects and health care could be funded that way.
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mythravere
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01-07-09 8:25 AM
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This makes me angry. I wouldn't be angry if they would actually take care of the roads when the do have the money but they dont so they can stick it where the sun dont shine. Tea party anyone?
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Rakeer
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01-07-09 8:22 AM
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I would almost say this is "hard to believe", however, it's not! As always, the rich get richer and the poor get pooer! Someone has to pay for the stimulus packages, and God forbid, the oil companies should loose a bit of the millions in profit they make....WELCOME TO CHANGE!
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HandeMan
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01-07-09 6:29 AM
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If I am going to have to start paying a milage tax, I will not travel as much as I would like. Besides I would think that tracking by mileage (GPS) would definately be an invasion of privacy.
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don26103
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01-07-09 6:17 AM
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just another way for the rich and thiefs to screw the poor and the working person
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