Nanny State alert: Meet the mileage police
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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- ButAsForMe! » Nanny State alert: Meet the mileage police
- Funny how Michelle Malkin rebels against capitalism… « Cowardly political musings…
- North Carolina Mileage Proposed Mileage Tax: Nanny State Tarheel Style « Jane Q. Republican
- Your Latest example of Nanny Statism « The Daley Gator
- Taxes, Taxes, and More Taxes « Verus Politics: Truth and Reason
- Right Wing News
- Spanish Pundit
- B. Hussein Obama’s ‘New Deal’ (Now Showing) « Goodtimepolitics
- Radio Vice Online » Rhode Island, North Carolina & New York - counting the miles
- New Deal v2.0 programs, taxes and fees cropping up everywhere | Conservative247
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- We Get What We Vote For - Charlie Foxtrot
- No need to keep up with your own mileage anymore « Right Minded Online
- Land Of The Not So Free « The Forum
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- Save the GOP » Blog Archive » A New Year, A New Gas Tax, and a GPS All Your Very Own
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I’m at the point where I’ll be glad to see the US collapse, its a joke.
North Carolina has officially been run over by liberal yankees moving here. It’s disgusting.
A breathing tax is coming. Fart taxes are already planned. When does the american middle class wake up?
Wouldn’t this be another reason NOT to bail out the auto companies?
That would be basic logic. When has the gov’t ever used logic to do anything?
Elections have consequences!
It has only just begun.
How do they know what state you drove in?
California tried to float this idea a while ago, too. It died when the intrusiveness of it registered with voters.
It ranks right up there with the proposed home thermostat which would not only report your power and natural gas consumption, it would allow the state to remotely “manage” your actual usage. Of course it was couched in terms of being used only in energy emergencies. Last I heard about it, it was being focused initially on new home construction. Part of the new smart power web you have seen touted by liberals.
And the left calls conservatives fascist!?
Re: Mister P
I think that is where the GPS comes in.
These sentences brilliantly illustrate the paralyzing hypocrisy of libtard politicians. They say they want you to modify your behavior — what they really want is your money. How dare you react to the rape of your pocketbook by using less of a punitively taxed resource!! TREASON!!!
My beloved North Carolina continues its slide into becoming the the California of the east coast.
Damn carpetbaggin’ yankees.
Isn’t that also a first step to rationing?
They SAY it’s to tax one based on the distance one drives.
It could also be used to ration gas, or to limit the distance one drives.
Perhaps I’m being paranoid. But, as I once heard, it isn’t paranoia when they REALLY are out to get you.
Liberals only know how to tax thier way out of a mess.
Yep, Pelosi and Schwarzenegger want to control the thermostat in my parents’ home. Who the hell do these people think they are?
WAY too much government. It’s time for some taxpayer disobedience.
Here in utah, they are planning to “GASP” REDUCE SPENDING!!!
I’ve heard that refered to as “Californicating”. When looney, leftwing liberals, usually from California, move to an area and screw it all up. They’ve screwed up Oregon, Washington, Colorado, working on Arizona.
And, yes, my beloved Oklahoma,too.
The government demanded that the auto industry develop fuel-efficient cars.
The goal?
– Reduce emissions
– Allow motorists to save $$$
But now they’ll simply take that saved $$$ thru taxes…..
Sheer brilliance!
Add Utah to that list.
Both commenters put it more succinctly, but don’t you think Democrats realize when you tax the hell out of something…people stop using it and tax revenues go down?
They DON’T WANT US TO DRIVE. They want us to “save the planet”…so now they tax us more for doing what they wanted.
Is that a second American Revolution I smell on the wind? This is beyond parody.
What about the “green” person who traded in their SUV for a Prius? Gas goes down (oops!), but your “savings” are now getting siphoned off by the libtards.
Whoa! Way too Big Brother for me!
Riiight….what was I thinking?
Road warrior remember…
The radio comedian Phil Hendrie once did this exact same idea as the basis for one of his jokes. In 2003, it was only a joke. Come to think of it, the “citizen police force” was also one of his jokes. I wonder if the Dems have been listening to tapes of his comedy to formulate policy.
Great! And I was planning on moving back to Oklahoma when I got sick and tired of Hawaii.
Awww. That’s nothing compared to the coming food taxes.
I’m sure some liberal somewhere is trying to figure out how to tax air and sex.
Another American Revolt? Won’t happen – slow boiled frog syndrome.
When they finally ban cigarettes, what will they do to make up the loss of tax revenue from smokers?
Hey, wait a minute on Yankees moving to NC and screwing it up. I’m a Yankee and moved to NC to get away from the idiots up in NY/CT/MA, etc. Most of the transplants here in NC I know are more conservative than the local-born. I think NC has a whole boat-load of local liberals. OK, Cary/Chapel Hill are full of liberal transplants, but the state didn’t turn blue because of them.
They wanted to study this nonsense in my home state.
Bad for many reasons. My one speculation is that it will result in is massive odometer fraud, and totally hose up the used car industry.
What’s next GPS on all of our cars?
By the way, I agree the car mileage tax is flat out idiotic.
Shut up, don’t give them ideas….
Let everyman be armed. They already do a fairly good job of tracking you by cell phone. A GPS unit in the car? More of the same. No honest person needs that much information about another.
But think about that the next time you hear:
a routine drug search following a routine traffic stop.
For our mutual safety I am going to pat you down for weapons.
Self written search warrant.
Of course they will only use this GPS information for “correct” reasons; people of the wrong Political Party gathering at an inconvenient time, a witness or juror in a corruption trial, somebody’s neighbor irritates them, you wrote an incorrect letter to the editor or blog.
The government, any government, is always a threat to liberty. Sometimes we let ourselves be lulled and support a foolish law because OUR guy proposed it. And then the other guy gets in. What do we do now?
Think a Rahm Emanuel and Eric Holder haven’t figured out how to use these powers? Janet Reno sure did. Let everyman be armed, you too ladies.
While writing your state rep. sounds like a good idea, I have a funny feeling that both liberal state congresses, as well as the upcoming federal congress + White House control is going to render our complaints and pleas to them to become more and more ignored than they are already! They are going to be feeling pretty “bullet proof”, at least for the next two years. Then we’ll see if Americans wake from the Obamamesmerization state!
The Left only uses static analysis in the taxation equation. They think if they raise taxes, people will just pay the taxes and consume the same amount. In reality, people change their behavior based on an item’s cost (Dynamic analysis).
This is a cousin to the insane idea to tax gasoline back up to $4.00 because we were paying that much. Only government has the ability to give itself raises (in spending and salaries) because of the power to tax.
P.S.
The more the Democrats attempt to social engineer the more they end up playing “Whack-a-Mole” with the tax codes trying to build the perfect tax mousetrap.
Obviously, all they end up with is the unmanageable, unadministratable pile of spagehtti for a tax code.
It’s almost like the dog who started chasing his own tail. No matter how fast he spun the tail was never closer. Finally he went so fast he disappered up inside himself and vanished.
But remember, these are the people who popped a vein in their heads at the thought of invading the privacy of terroists via wiretapping.
Can’t possibly infringe on the rights of nutters who want to blow us up, but you’d better be damn certain the Democrats are going to track exactly where you drive!!!
They don’t actually care whether cars are produced as long as the UAW memebers get overpaid and vote Dem.
The left side of the Bell Curve has a long tail…
Same here in Texas. Too bad what we have in Utah and Texas isn’t contagious!
I agree with battleaxe at #25:
Add Louisiana to this list, thank God.
Au contrare, mon ami! Texans
are alreadyhave been talking secession!You can’t tax sex! That’s a fundamental freedom and right that cannot possibly be hampered or infringed upon by any expectation of self-control, respect, or personal responsibility.
DagneyT: Well, Texas is always an exception to the rule.
An ornery bunch they are. More power to them too. 
AzNeanderthal, I am, all the time. Hubby bought me a special purse with a holster inside!
A year ago I would have agreed, but the middle class is getting antsy. This generation doesn’t know how to handle adversity so which way they will go is anyones guess.
This has been making the circles in Texas as well. They are desperate for more highway $ (as if allowing private investor tollroads with non compete clauses was not enough). It is nothing but anohter way for the gov’t to collect, neigh steal, more money from the citizens. It is that simple.
Can’tCureStupid, Louisiana finally got smart, and elected a true conservative! God bless Bobby Jindal! If the NRC would run their party like the GOP in Texas, they would have won every election since Reagan! Instead, we have a NRC run by blue blood moderates who think moderation wins….what??????????? Didn’t work, did it RINO’s? Get it straight, “CONSERVATISM WORKS EVERY TIME IT IS TRIED”! I went to my local GOP women’s club meeting today, and our local consensus is the only chance we have nationally is; 1) Michael Steele heads up the party; 2) We need to concentrate on building a strong local conservative base, and take back the House in two years.
JonB, that’s why I moved to Texas. Wasn’t born here, but got here as fast as I could!
Unless you’re straight… then you’re just a filthy breeder and a drain on Earths precious resources.
If they could figure out how often you do it (without getting themselves shot), you’d get a bill, trust me.
DagneyT: If TX does that, can we lodge with you until we get jobs? I’ll clean for you. TX will be the safest, sanest place in this hemisphere…
Well, I’m sure GPS technology could…oh, never mind. Let’s not give them any ideas.
Yeah. Families like the Duggars are horrible people for actually, you know, understanding sex is both unitive and procreative. And not recreational.
Silly, silly people who respect life and their bodies! When will they learn? /sarcasm
If Texas seccedes, will they be a country of their own or part of Mexico?
What I want to know, if they check my odometer, who says I drove those miles in their state? In fact, I’m pretty sure more of my miles are driven out of my state than in.
I understand Rhode Island is also considering this same tax grab. Notice government officials NEVER can do with less money.
Hope and Change=You HOPE that they leave you with a little CHANGE in your pocket when they are through.
I’m hosed. My twenty-aught-six Saturn sends me an email every month with my maintenance status, percent life on my oil and my mileage!
This is just nonsense! If tax revenues are down because people are driving less, just raise the tax rate! It wouldn’t cost anymore to take the tax rate from 40 cents per gallon to 80 cents per gallon. To create a new system of tax collection has to have another motive.
In Germany, the trucks have barcodes on the front, like an extra license plate. Whenever they pass under a highway bridge, they get scanned. They are then taxed on road usage.
I’m waiting until they tattoo barcodes on all of us.
They’ve already started a pilot program in Austin, TX, among other cities.
roaduserstudy.org
So do what the libs want (drive less) causing tax revenue to fall and then have then tax you more.
Oh wait, this will cause less gas use, causing less revenue, then the libs will out on another tax ox gas, and repeat until everyone is broke and the the state will not have any money to collect.
Unless you’re married and doing it to make more than one baby–remember Australia’s proposed $5k tax on each live birth after the first?
Or they could encouraging everyone to buy the biggest SUV or truck possible, helping the Big 3 and increasing their gas tax revenue.
Absolutely. But, when useage goes back up (and correspondingly the tax revenues) don’t expect them to reduce the taxes again. They will just find something else to spend the money on.
Tax rates are ratcheted. They only move in one direction.
If Big Brother is gonna put a camera in my bedroom to tax me then IT’S TIME FOR THE NEXT REVOLUTION!
Yes, exactly. Good thing I’ve got a few people who’ll provide me baby credits so I can have the 4 children I want.
Sooooo, does this mean the state will tax government operated vehicles too?
Wow, what a catch-22 that is- either states will exempt themselves from the tax for state owned vehicles or actually be dumb enough to collect the tax from themselves! Oops, it’s a government plan so being dumb enough is par for the course. I guess that means they will have to hike taxes on citizens in other areas to pay for the VMT tax they pay.
I’m getting my pitchfork and guns ready.
Sonofdy: Shut up, don’t give them ideas….
You’re the one who suggested a fart tax…would you put it past them? I sure wouldn’t!
Pure thuggary.
These pigs cannot manage the failing budgets of their own states (well a few can) and this is what they come up with?
How.Not.Original.
Maybe they should grow a pair and butcher off state positions within education, welfare, any bloated programs that are the result of soft, spineless, do-nothing sycophants who thrive off PC ideals and nepotism.
They tried to pull this crap off in CA but thankfully, didn’t succeed (for now). Soon they will want to tax us every time we take a dump.
That would be the “Mark of the Beast.”
And leftists have been calling Christians paranoid.
Does this remind anyone of an old WWII movie?
“Papers, please”
Remind anyone else of Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union?
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.
Then the Denver water utility came back and increased rates because with less usage, they didn’t have enough money to maintain the infrastructure. The rates are going up again for next year for the same reason.
Add to that a usage penalty for families, the more you use the higher the rate paid. So my family of 5 pays a higher rate, even though we conserve, than our widowed neighbor alone in her 3,000 sqft house who waters twice as much as recommended and has a green lawn, even in the winter.
Denver Water – Denver Water Spends $8.3 Million On Failed Computer Systems http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/17507589/detail.html
I can’t seem to find the link to the story about the millions of gallons per day loss from the Denver water system. But remember to conserve ! And then we’ll charge you more per gallon in response to your conservation!
I’m there with you, Common Sense.
Oh really, who will lead the charge, Kay Bailey Hutchinson?
Would this be double taxation? They have a sales tax on the purchase of the vehicle, they tax the gasoline, the tires as well, now they want to tax the usage. They have toll roads too. What are they doing with all this “highway” money? Does the SEIU have their headquarters there?
And we still have idiots believing when we elect people to office we have taxation with representation.
They damn sure don’t represent us when it comes to taxes and spending our hard earned money.
For all those who are buying guns at record numbers, don’t forget the ropes.
OK folks that is really over the edge mentality.
Why not put odometers on bicycles. After all your going to eat more if you exercise. I don’t care if you eat carrots or steak, your still creating a carbon footprint and not paying enough taxes. Ya Ya I know, your footprint is smaller than mine.
There was a time in my culture when you could be proud in saying,
MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS
GEES!
Uh, are these states going to tax the state-owned vehicles too?
Wow, just think if they exempt their vehicles from being taxed, yet what if they do tax themselves? I’m not sure what would be more idiotic, but it’s the government so idiocy reigns supreme either way!
yep
Coming to your neighborhood soon, GPS on your bullets.
Another great way to Phuk up the economy. Way to go retards. Especially at a time when we should be figuring out how to give tax breaks.
I’ll pay that sort of tax with hot lead.
“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?”
No, at the end of the day tax revenues trump the environment.
You can teach a liberal to tax, but you can’t make them think.
Win.
As a North Carolina resident, I must say that they have been talking about this for several years, but, like the headset while driving legislation, it isn’t going anywhere. They would love to do it, but, the people get livid every time it comes up, and the cost associated with implementing the GPS receivers is astronomical, and would defeat any money made.
LOL in_awe.
If you really want to enjoy paying your taxes come to the Democratic Socialist State of Maryland. Our state legislature is so befuddled, because they raised the sales tax from 5% to 6% and the sales tax revenue dropped.
They also raised the state income tax on “rich” people, and they wonder why they are leaving the state.
This is already happening in the UK. Not only are you taxed on the miles you drive, but where you drive!. In congested areas the tax per mile varies depending on the time of day… Ain’t big brother great? Ain’t it time we put him to death?
Be forewarned: this idea has come up in California and perhaps Oregon as a means of increasing state gas tax revenue, sort of a pay-per-mile scheme. And remember, utilities (and the state) would like to control the thermostat in your home, hook it right to the Internet and give them a way to manipulate how much energy you consume. If this hadn’t already been proposed, I’d think this was 1984 all over again.
I don’t have time to read all the comments, but I had this thought: they propose to tax owners of vehicles registered in NC based on mileage. What about the miles those cars are driven somewhere besides NC? And, what about all those out-of-staters using NC roads?? This is ridiculous…
Looks like New York City is going to implement a ton of new taxes and fees as well. You can probably look for Energy Secretary Chu to impose some sort of gas tax as well nationally.
Wow, for a minute there, I thought for sure this would be Kalifornia, but hey…one way to fix this problem for NC drivers is to disconnect your odometer.
To the Wanting us to drive less thing, no they want more tax money in the coffers for pet projects and welfair, and all these problems are to get your mind everywhere or so far up your ass so you will be a good citizen and do as your told when the revolution comes for the good of the state comrade.
Actully I’m surprised by this law and I will say here and now Most North Carolinians WILL NOT support or like this, most of our leftist laws comes from three Cities that most of us don’ consider as fellow North Carolinains but can’t do anything about, or so it seems.
My odometer just broke. My GPS gets lead shielding. My tax form gets lied on.
Did I forget anything?
Your bank account is offshore
We left NC after living there for only 18 months becasue of how stupid the government was being run.
For example, the first year we were there, they put a bond issue on the ballot for “education” for well over $200 million. The VERY NEXT YEAR another $110 million bond initiative on the ballot for “education”. Both passed. People there were not smart enough to ask, “Where did the first $200 Million go?!” The government was right in that if you just say, “It’s for education, people can’t say no.” We did, but most did not.
Secondly, in Charlotte, a referendum on building a new sports arena to keep the Hornets in town was voted down. We felt this was a good thing. However, the city council later approved it anyways with virtually the same taxpayer funding structure as was previously rejected by the voters. The Hornets had already left, so the NBA in its infinite wisdom gave this town of clowns another franchise.
Too many northeast liberals have moved into NC because of banking jobs and the real estate benefots they get, but they’re killing it with these asinine policies!!!
North Carolina, we hereby declare you part of the NORTH – as your name states… you no longer represent the ideals of the South.
Note to NC residents, if you don’t like what’s going on there…do what I did…MOVE!!
If this tax passes, there will be a lot of people making money, rolling back odometers.
Where’s my screwdriver?