Oregon considers mileage tracking system for road tax
ALBANY, Ore. (AP) — Oregon drivers may someday have a choice in how they pay a road users fee.
A task force within the state Department of Transportation is reviewing mileage-based assessments and looking at electronic systems for measuring and reporting mileage, systems that may already be used by private companies.
The Albany Democrat-Herald reports the task force will invite its own members, Transportation Department employees and perhaps legislators to take part in a pilot study that would allow a driver to pick a mileage system to test.
Driving the issue is a drop in revenue from the state fuel tax, which pays for highway and bridge maintenance. Revenue is falling as fuel efficiency increases and as more people are expected to drive hybrids or electric cars.
The Road User Fee Task Force in 2006 looked at a GPS-based system that could track the number of miles a vehicle was driven. However, fearing their whereabouts could be tracked, drivers strongly opposed the system. The idea is now dead, said Jim Whitty, director of the task force.
"We have completely changed the approach," Whitty said. "We're moving away from a mandate for a government box in your car, and from GPS."
The group is instead reviewing various electronic systems that already measure and report mileage.
"What we've done is taken a hard look at what we need," Whitty said. "And also that the public needs to accept it."
The ODOT, he said, could designate several methods to keep track of mileage and allow drivers to choose one, such as a system used by an insurance company that bases fees on how far customers drive,
The pilot project will test and demonstrate various reporting methods. One cellphone application shows only in-state mileage so motorists using it would not be charged for travel elsewhere.
A flat yearly tax would be another choice.
Transportation officials plan to approach the 2013 legislature with a bill authorizing a mileage tax for vehicles that don't pay gas tax.
The state may also someday propose a mileage-based system for all vehicles, not just hybrids and electric cars.
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Information from: Albany Democrat-Herald
I see this as one of those things where they will be forced to put before us on a vote and get their hinney's kicked all over like the sales tax they would love to shaft us with. Â
Good grief. Whats next?
For every technological innovation, there will be an opposite innovation: Â You State B4$$tards go ahead and figure a new tax and there will be plenty of people who get around it!
what a stupid idea.... why go to all the expense and hassle when they could just raise the tax a penny or two. Â
Yet ANOTHER thing that must be inspected, regulated, beurocritized, etc.... Â that means we have to hire state people who get paid sweet salaries and have awesome health care etc. Â Â you see how this spirals out of control?
I work for the state, my salary is NOT sweet and my health care, while still somewhat decent, is not that great. Someone I know on the outside who does similar work that I do, makes $7500 roughly a year more than I do and has better benefits than I do... I make $26K a year. Not that great. But thanks for lumping me in with the State workers that get 6 and 7 figures.
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Just one more way to ROB motorists of their hard earned cash, these thieves had it all planned out get the population to buy these electric and other hybrid vehicles on the road then create all rotten ways to tax, tax, tax the poor idiots who fall for these plans. GPS is the fall of the Americans freedom as now the creeps behind the Government are watching your every move, doesn't that give you a warm and fuzzy feeling ? big brother ? ha he's long gone now we're dealing with all his rotten brothers.