Michelle Malkin » Nanny State alert: Meet the mileage police

Nanny State alert: Meet the mileage police

By Michelle Malkin • December 16, 2008 04:04 PM

First, they hand us our Obama-approved tire gauges.

Next, they police our odometers. Fresh from North Carolina, here’s the latest Nanny State proposal: Monitoring our odometers and taxing us accordingly.

With gas-tax revenues plummeting, the state of North Carolina is looking seriously at taxing motorists for how far they drive.

If the “road-use tax” is implemented, it would at first be simple – with the state checking your odometer annually and taxing you based on how many miles you have driven. But transportation experts say new GPS technology could allow the state to charge people different rates based on when and where they drive, in an attempt to manage congestion.

Talk of a Vehicle Miles Traveled tax has long been discussed as a necessity in a decade or so, because cars are becoming more fuel efficient, and states and the federal government are losing gas-tax revenue.

But there is now a sense of urgency about the new VMT tax. When gas hit $4 a gallon this summer, Americans sharply curtailed their driving. And when the economy cratered this fall, the driving rollback continued, even when gas prices plummeted.

The 21st Century Transportation Committee suggested that, in addition to the gas tax, motorists pay a quarter-cent for each mile they drive, with the first 2,000 miles annually free. A motorist who drives 12,000 miles a year would pay $25 – possibly due when the driver gets the car inspected.

Reader Scott in N.C. e-mails: “My wife and I started a manufacturer’s rep business in July of ‘05 serving the plumbing and heating industry. We derive 100% of our income from commissions. We have, as a startup business, endured $ 4.45 per gallon gas prices this year while traveling an average of 6,000+ miles per month. Our territory stretches over both Carolinas. Our liberal NC legislature now says due to the decrease in consumption of gas their gas tax revenues are off and must be replaced. Here is the irony…they want to punitively tax those of us actually still driving and buying gas and therefore paying the gas tax. Mind you these are the same people who push “global warming” and demand an end to fossil fuels. You can’t make it up. They want to use a tracking device on every car to monitor and verify the miles which is a huge invasion of our privacy. Please help bring attention to this rediculous policy initiative.”

From another N.C. commenter: “And another thing, I am sure this is a democrat-led tax initiative. The article states that the tax revenue has plummeted because we are driving less and therefore consuming less gas. Isn’t that *EXACTLY* what the democrats wanted? This sounds exactly like the proposal last year to raise water rates in Charlotte because the people did exactly as they were instructed and reduced usage during the drought. This is beyond stupid. I’m writing my state rep. today.”

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#573518

On December 17th, 2008 at 7:30 am, Chief RZ said:

Democrats. Tax and spend. There was a song by the Beatles once that said, Tax the air. It is getting close.
#573544

On December 17th, 2008 at 8:59 am, tropicalwave12 said:

So like, what happens if I just vacation there? Are they having mileage police at the borders placing a mileage tracker on my car on the way in then tax me on the way out????
#573558

On December 17th, 2008 at 9:32 am, Bill Grant said:

On December 16th, 2008 at 4:08 pm, right4life said:

I’m at the point where I’ll be glad to see the US collapse, its a joke.

If you believe that you should go live elsewhere.

The folks in North Carolina need to fight this thing. Step 1 is calling their state representatives and step 2 is disconnecting the speedometer cable.
#573654

On December 17th, 2008 at 11:24 am, misterbee241 said:

On December 16th, 2008 at 4:20 pm, The Ugly American said:
My beloved North Carolina continues its slide into becoming the the California of the east coast.
Damn carpetbaggin’ yankees.

The same is true of my beloved Virginia. Nobody around here talks like a Virginian anymore. They talk so fast, especially the teenagers, I cant understand a word they are saying.
Btw – my hometown has the reputation of being the San Francisco of the east coast because it is so gay-friendly.
#573664

On December 17th, 2008 at 11:34 am, misterbee241 said:

…disconnecting the speedometer cable.

In Virginia that’ll get you a fine if not jail time.
#573732

On December 17th, 2008 at 12:33 pm, RedDog said:

This is why Leftists are certifiable mental cases. NC & VA have been lost for some time. Northern Leftists are moving farther into the south and are digesting FL as we speak. The proverbial crap is soon to hit the fan and people will not tolerate their Stalinist methods for long. They need to be impressed with the fact that they work for us, not the other way around.
#573742

On December 17th, 2008 at 12:41 pm, RedDog said:

The people need to start challenging the government. They don’t seem to understand fiscal restraint. Government bureaucrats need to realize they are a service entity to the citizens of their stae ansd municipality. They are not a productive industry, and they don’t get to take money from the public at will. Enough is enough. This Obama business has only made them more bold.
#573764

On December 17th, 2008 at 1:21 pm, Weary Citizen said:

On December 16th, 2008 at 6:26 pm, Common Sense said:
This is the same kind of thing we’ve endured in CO for the past several years with water. When we were in the last drought, we were begging to reduce water use and penalized for using water outside of restrictions. Water use was down 30% as a result.

Ah come on, you need to curb your use of the natrual resources so the gov’t can make way for more illegal and legal immigrants. Even when there is not a drought here in Austin TX, the city council runs adds encouraging everryone to cut back on water use (don’t water lawns, water efficeint shower heads, etc). That is b/c we are expecting to double the population over the next 20 years (that growth is not organic, mostly from legal and illegal immigration). And they realize unless we reduce per capita consumption the CO river can not provide enough. There are discussion about raising rates and setting strict capcaity limits, kinds of lawns to plant, etc. So, the current citizens are being told to change the way they live, and have lived for generations, so we can make room for more 3rd world immigrants. Its the compaaaaassionaaaattte thing to do, don’t you know. I would not reduce watering my lawn by 1 mionute per week to help some illegal move here and live comfortably.
#573906

On December 17th, 2008 at 4:14 pm, NJ-Aviator said:

Some people say that in a few years, you won’t recognize America.

I don’t recognize it now.

And who would be paying for these GPS devices? And the system required to manage all of this?

You got it. The lowly serf known as the tax payer.
#574698

On December 19th, 2008 at 8:22 am, Reggie Dunlop said:

These jerks act like its their money to begin with, and that we should be glad to have whatever pittance they think they should leave us… It’s almost time to just redo this whole thing.
#576484

On December 23rd, 2008 at 10:38 am, Tantor said:

It reminds of the distress the Washington Metro displayed when ridership went up on the subway here in Washington, DC. They started wailing about how there weren’t enough cars and their rolling stock was wearing out. They were already charging more for rush hour service so they started talking about new ways of raising money, like charging tolls on cars on the freeway under the idea that they benefitted from the subway because it reduced traffic congestion. Finally, they settled on ripping out seats to more subway riders could be packed in standing, ie lower quality of the ride.

It seemed like an odd problem to me because wasn’t the Metro pushing for more ridership all along as the salvation to all our troubles? And, if we get more customers, shouldn’t you be getting more profit to reinvest in your service?

Alas, that was my naive free market self speaking. I came to realize that the Metro has no break even point. It was never designed to make a profit. The more service it provides, the more taxes it must be fed.

You see, everything the government does ultimately is designed to pick your pocket.
#576996

On December 24th, 2008 at 12:29 am, Member-VRWC said:

On December 16th, 2008 at 5:06 pm, conservativesRus said:
What I want to know, if they check my odometer, who says I drove those miles in their state?

As it relates to the NC law under consideration, it doesn’t matter. You would pay the tax for all miles driven whether in state or out.

That’s really pissing some people off, such as college students who are residents of NC and would have to tag their car here, but go to school out of state so almost all of their driving is outside of NC. NC could be collecting taxes on a car that is using none of its infrastructure.

Just another instance of the Raleigh crapweasels in action. They are also considering incremental property taxes based on the view your property has and putting water meters on wells.

To the people here that are complaining about Damn Yankees spoiling NC — uh, uh. The Raleigh asshats who run roughshod over the citizenry are born and raised tarheels. And the state just promoted its crooked Lt. Gov. to Gov. elect. That didn’t happen because of Damn Yankees.