Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums

funchy · 01-03-2009, 09:37 PM

Oregon considers taxing miles instead of gasoline; hybrid cars could threaten road upkeep - 1/2/2009 8:27:17 PM | Newser

Government doesn't like that we're conserving gas, so they're proposing a GPS system that records our travel... then we pay them per mile driven

This removes all incentives from efficient cars.

It's a tax on top of the tax we pay for our income and the gas we pay at the pump, so we're taxed twice.

And it's an issue of invasion of privacy: imagine all vehicles needing government-mandated GPS receivers that track where we go -- and reports it back to the government.

Your thoughts?

Brutha · 01-03-2009, 10:36 PM

Another factor to keep in mind is that some company needs to produce those GPS systems.

Maybe the local companies in that industry have a tough time and need some contracts?

There interest groups for those technologies.

openeyes · 01-03-2009, 10:44 PM

Government mandated GPS could also monitor how well people stick to speed limits, mailing tickets to offenders.

floslib · 01-03-2009, 11:36 PM

Doing this via GPS tracking is absolutely an invasion of privacy that should be stopped.

They can't do this by checking the odometer during inspections? Of course, taxing miles driven is a horrible idea anyway, but if they were going to do so, that would be the simple way to do it.

Lil Chris · 01-03-2009, 11:57 PM

Does anyone really wonder what purpose government serves...? It makes me wonder if they just sit around thinking up ways to extort money from the people...

missing · 01-04-2009, 12:34 AM

if money is a concern I don't see why they can't just raise the gas tax. You can extract money from people just as easy, while punishing vehicles that do the most damage (SUVs, Hummers, etc). Maybe have a tax refund for legit business usage. No GPS, tracking, or invasion of privacy required. I thought the idea was to encourage people to drive hybrids and other fuel efficient vehicles. But now because of them we punish all? wtf?

Trezker · 01-04-2009, 03:13 AM

Yes this is definitely an invasion of privacy that can not be tolerated. It just doesn't belong in a democracy. You should raise your peoples awareness of the issue, talk to the pirate party and politicians.

01-03-2009, 09:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
funchy Family Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: east coast, USA Posts: 1,628	a new tax: charging us by the mile we drive ?? Oregon considers taxing miles instead of gasoline; hybrid cars could threaten road upkeep - 1/2/2009 8:27:17 PM \| Newser Government doesn't like that we're conserving gas, so they're proposing a GPS system that records our travel... then we pay them per mile driven This removes all incentives from efficient cars. It's a tax on top of the tax we pay for our income and the gas we pay at the pump, so we're taxed twice. And it's an issue of invasion of privacy: imagine all vehicles needing government-mandated GPS receivers that track where we go -- and reports it back to the government. Your thoughts?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
The Extra Mile	andrew	Personal Effectiveness	7	01-28-2008 07:34 PM
How to drive traffic to my forums?	liquidagoracom	Business & Financial	10	12-17-2007 10:13 PM
Temporary decrease in sex drive, huh?	rikun	Health & Fitness	5	11-08-2007 02:43 PM
You Can't Drive	Max Power	Intention-Manifestation	19	07-27-2007 12:01 AM
My First 15-Mile Run - I think I'm Addicted :)	techgal	Health & Fitness	6	04-02-2007 10:36 PM

01-03-2009, 10:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Brutha Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 8,749	Another factor to keep in mind is that some company needs to produce those GPS systems. Maybe the local companies in that industry have a tough time and need some contracts? There interest groups for those technologies.

01-03-2009, 10:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
openeyes Family Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,629	Government mandated GPS could also monitor how well people stick to speed limits, mailing tickets to offenders.

01-03-2009, 11:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
floslib Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 254	Doing this via GPS tracking is absolutely an invasion of privacy that should be stopped. They can't do this by checking the odometer during inspections? Of course, taxing miles driven is a horrible idea anyway, but if they were going to do so, that would be the simple way to do it.

01-03-2009, 11:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lil Chris Family Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Somewhere in time... Posts: 2,213	Does anyone really wonder what purpose government serves...? It makes me wonder if they just sit around thinking up ways to extort money from the people...

01-04-2009, 12:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
missing Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 388	if money is a concern I don't see why they can't just raise the gas tax. You can extract money from people just as easy, while punishing vehicles that do the most damage (SUVs, Hummers, etc). Maybe have a tax refund for legit business usage. No GPS, tracking, or invasion of privacy required. I thought the idea was to encourage people to drive hybrids and other fuel efficient vehicles. But now because of them we punish all? wtf?

01-04-2009, 03:13 AM	#7 (permalink)
Trezker Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 962	Yes this is definitely an invasion of privacy that can not be tolerated. It just doesn't belong in a democracy. You should raise your peoples awareness of the issue, talk to the pirate party and politicians.

Personal Development for Smart PeopleTM Forums

Personal Development for Smart People^TM Forums