'Orwellian:' Mass. Wants to Tax Drivers for Mileage

[phuloi]

www.newsmax.com


Tuesday, February 17, 2009 10:51 AM






BOSTON -- A tentative plan to overhaul Massachusetts' transportation system by using GPS chips to charge motorists a quarter-cent for every mile behind the wheel has angered some drivers.


"It's outrageous, it's kind of Orwellian, Big Brotherish," said Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, who drafted legislation last week to prohibit the practice. "You'd need a whole new department of cronies just to keep track of it."


But a "Vehicle Miles Traveled" program like the one the governor may unveil this week has already been tested _ with positive results _ in Oregon.


Governors in Idaho and Rhode Island, as well as the federal government, also are talking about such programs. And in North Carolina, a panel suggested in December the state start charging motorists a quarter-cent for every mile as a substitute for the gas tax.


"The Big Brother issue was identified during the first meeting of the task force that developed our program," said Jim Whitty, who oversees innovation projects for the Oregon Department of Transportation. "Everything we did from that point forward, even though we used electronics, was to eliminate those concerns."


A draft overhaul transport plan prepared for Gov. Deval Patrick says implementing a Vehicle Miles Traveled system to replace the gas tax makes sense. "A user-based system, collected electronically, is a fair way to pay for our transportation needs in the future," it says.


Patrick, who had yet to settle on any of the ideas contained in the draft, told reporters last week, "I like any idea that is faster, cheaper, simpler."


The idea behind the program is simple: As cars become more fuel efficient or powered by electricity, gas tax revenues decline. Yet the cost of building and maintaining roads and bridges is increasing. A state could cover that gap by charging drivers precisely for the mileage their vehicles put on public roads.


"There needs to be a new way of thinking about, `How do we pay for all of this?'" said Richard Dimino, president of A Better City, a business-friendly group that considers transportation issues.


"One of the ways is thinking about the automobile like a utility: When we turn on our automobile and use it, we would be charged like we do when we turn on the lights and we start using electricity."


In Oregon, the state paid volunteers who let the transportation department install GPS receivers in 300 vehicles. The device did not transmit a signal _ which would allow real-time tracking of a driver's movements _ but instead passively received satellite pings telling the receiver where it was in terms of latitude and longitude coordinates.


The state used those coordinates to determine when the vehicle was driving both within Oregon and outside the state. And it measured the respective distances through a connection with the vehicle's odometer.


When a driver pulled into a predetermined service station, the pump linked electronically with the receiver, downloaded the number of miles driven in Oregon and then charged the driver a fee based on the distance. The gas tax they would have paid was reduced by the amount of the user fee. Drivers continued to be charged gas tax for miles driven outside Oregon.


Under such systems, one of which is already used in London, drivers are charged more for entering a crowded area during rush hour than off-peak periods.


"What the mileage charge does, if it's structured properly, is simply charge for the basic responsibility of people to pay for the amount of wear they put on the state's roads," said Whitty, whose state is still considering the mechanics of broadening the program.





© 2009 Associated Press.

[darrels joy]

One 18 wheeler loaded to 80,000 pounds = 1400 cars.

Since 100% of all goods travel on a truck at sometime in this country, it's just a tax.

Solar radiation dries out asphalt roads and if noone drives on it, the top turns to gravel. Well built concrete roads can last 100 years. They just cost more to build.

This is just a way to raise taxes on the new alternative energy and high mileage cars.

Good for tax collection with the changes coming.

Joy

[Arrow]

The idea behind the program is simple: As cars become more fuel efficient or powered by electricity, gas tax revenues decline. Yet the cost of building and maintaining roads and bridges is increasing. A state could cover that gap by charging drivers precisely for the mileage their vehicles put on public roads.


"There needs to be a new way of thinking about, `How do we pay for all of this?'" said Richard Dimino, president of A Better City, a business-friendly group that considers transportation issues.


"One of the ways is thinking about the automobile like a utility: When we turn on our automobile and use it, we would be charged like we do when we turn on the lights and we start using electricity."

Who in the world programs these aliens? And do they ever stop? They have to be from another universe with the intent of taking this one over. They surely can't be any life form we are familiar with. Oh wait a minute I get it. I'm the one living in an alternative universe. Where the average JOE is in sympathy with the other JOE'S and JOLENE'S around him. Instead of thinking of ways to tax his kind to death. If there is another average JOE or JOLENE reading this I need help getting back home. Point me to the highway and show me the sign. I'll take it to the limit one more time.

God have mercy on US!

[Packo]

Austrailians are gonna get taxed on how many times they flush the toilet in their homes. Talk about Orwellian. It's all getting so ridiculous it is laughable, if it wasn't so sad.

Pack

[darrels joy]

The more money they need to take care of us, the more people they need to work taking care of us, the more they need people and money.

That is why polititians are for immigration. More people with needs to fill.

In business, it's called empire building.

Joy

[revwardoc]

This is all a result of The Big Dig, the biggest public works program in US history. When it was first introduced in 1985 it was supposed to cost $2.5 billion and take 5 years to complete. So far its cost over $18 billion and they're still working on it, that is, they're repairing all the mistakes that were made in the original construction. And guess who's going to pay for it? The taxpayers of MA, who else? Between the corruption, bribes, kickbacks, shoddy workmanship, etc. its a wonder the state police don't stop everyone entering the city of Boston and demand their wallets.

[Packo]

why are you still there? Thought you were on your way to Heaven, VIRGINIA. Well, Souther Virginia. Man, I'd be packin' my bags.

Pack

[phuloi]

Big Dig, alright...Directly to the ribs of taxpayers as the state lifts their wallets.

[darrels joy]

Technology Enabling Near-Term Nationwide Implementation
Distance Based Road User Fees


16. Abstract (Limit: 250 words)
This report describes a system meant for near-term deployment that
directly determines the distance traveled by a
vehicle and uses this as a basis for charging a fee that reflects road
use. An in-vehicle device with access to the
vehicle data bus and power through a single standard connector available
on all passenger vehicles since 1996,
electronically calculates the distance and then securely communicates
relevant information to a "back office" for
processing and transferring accumulated fees from the user to the
appropriate government jurisdiction. Also
described are means for providing payment (and receiving credit for
motor fuel use taxes paid at the pump) while
also ensuring compliance, enforcement, transparency and privacy.
Communication is via text messaging, available
wherever cellular service is accessible. No new wireless infrastructure
is needed. The in-vehicle device
distinguishes distance traveled by state or by other regions of interest
e.g., rural vs. urban areas, using the same
cellular technology that is used for communications. Aggregating
distance based on rural vs. urban travel can
facilitate different pricing policies for these different road users.
Neither a GPS receiver nor longitude/latitude
position data is necessary. However, higher resolution position sensing
can be added to the core platform as needed
based on policy objectives, e.g., to consider alternate pricing for
specific road facilities.


PDF 76 pages:
http://www.its.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/pdfdownload.pl?id=11
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