California Considers Placing A Mileage Tax On Drivers

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BREAKING: California to begin taxing oxygen by the breath.
 
The unintended consequence of using a gasoline tax to fund roads while incorporating fuel efficiency and alternative fuel goals into your requirements.

Electric cars don’t use gasoline, hybrids use very little, and the new fuel efficient cars use less and less. This has decreased the revenue from the gasoline taxes substantially.

So, they are looking to recoup the tax base by shifting to a mileage based tax for road use regardless of the type of fuel the vehicle uses.
 
Everyone take a deep breath and calm down. The government is here to help you. 🤣🤣🤣
 
As the Beatles sang,

If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat
If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet
 
Not that I needed any more reasons, but here’s yet another reason I’ll never move to that state…
 
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I’m curious what alternatives people would prefer.

Let’s take as an assumption that no one wants to pay taxes. But people also don’t want potholes or bridges that are falling down. So where does the money come from? As 1KE pointed out, the amount coming in from the gas tax goes down with alternative fuels and fuel efficient cars. A mileage tax at least has the benefit of putting more burden on those who are using the roads more. What would be a better way?
 
Taxes are a form of violence no matter how you slice it. That’s why they have to be used very prudently when necessary and not at all when possible.
 
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I’m not sure I understand. Are you talking about toll roads and toll bridges? That would pay for those particular roads, but what about the others? You still need a pot of money for other roads people use. Don’t you?
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I’m curious what alternatives people would prefer.

Let’s take as an assumption that no one wants to pay taxes. But people also don’t want potholes or bridges that are falling down. So where does the money come from? As 1KE pointed out, the amount coming in from the gas tax goes down with alternative fuels and fuel efficient cars. A mileage tax at least has the benefit of putting more burden on those who are using the roads more. What would be a better way?
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In my opinion, if they abandoned the gas tax and replaced it with the mileage tax, then that would be OK. But, unless I’m mistaken, that’s not what they are doing. They are adding another tax.
 
I’m saying that the state is usually the worst and least efficient way to accomplish things. Building roads is one example. Look at VA hospitals and just imagine if the state took over all health care–which might happen.
 
Lemuel said:
A user tax is the only fair tax, if there is such a thing.
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They all have a purpose and there is no one-size-fits-all answer for taxation that appeals to all value systems.

For example, wealthy folks tend to live on about $100k per year. A use tax would only effectively tax a millionaire on a mere fraction of their income, since most of their large outlays will probably be done outside the jurisdiction of the tax.

As a real-life for-instance, my very wealthy relatives were tight-wads. Unless they were in Florida. Or Italy.
They lived and made their money in Kentucky, but didn’t spend most of it unless they were outside the state or country.

A usage tax scheme largely misses those folks. Some, if not most, would consider this a “bad” thing.
 
Problem is people want top-notch governnment services: clean and maintained roads, well equipped police and fire departments, and excellent public schools…but simultaneously, no taxes.
 
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