bigbull338":22ftmtv2 said:
gas here is $1.45 a gal.yall are forgetting theres about .80 a gal in taxes.
And if that isn't enough.......... now this:
N.C. looks at taxing drivers by the mile
Idea for road-use tax is expected to hinge on odometer readings, then GPS tracking, to replace revenue lost to fuel efficiency.
By Steve Harrison
[email protected]
Posted: Monday, Dec. 15, 2008
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.
It's unlikely the General Assembly will add a new tax in 2009, during a recession.
But the N.C. Department of Transportation will need help soon. Revenue from the motor fuel tax of 29.9 cents per gallon is down 12 percent this year, and the state expects a three-year loss of $580 million.
The U.S. Department of Transportation reported that Americans drove 100 billion fewer miles between November 2007 and October 2008 – the largest continuous decline in history.
"The status quo isn't an option," said Mark Finlayson, who co-chairs the transportation advocacy group N.C. Go!. "Cars are now using less fuel, but they are still putting wear and tear on the roads."
Beyond North Carolina
North Carolina isn't the only state interested in a VMT tax. Oregon has studied it, and a number of other states and the federal government are considering road-use taxes.
"When we have plug-in hybrids, they won't be stopping at the gas pump," said Steve Polzin of the University of South Florida's Center for Urban Transportation Research. "Everyone is looking to capture that market. If we don't, we'll see some pretty serious effects."...