Comments on: Boxer: Collect Fees on Driving Through ‘Honor System’ http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/11/boxer-collect-fees-on-driving-through-%e2%80%98honor-system%e2%80%99/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:23:58 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: nisha http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/11/boxer-collect-fees-on-driving-through-%e2%80%98honor-system%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-19681 nisha Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:57:33 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2128#comment-19681 <a href="http://www.mammothcars.com/" rel="nofollow">Cheap new cars </a>We can now find you the best deals for the new car you are looking for by searching across our panel of manufacturer dealers across the whole of the UK. Cheap new cars We can now find you the best deals for the new car you are looking for by searching across our panel of manufacturer dealers across the whole of the UK.

]]> By: Marcotico http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/11/boxer-collect-fees-on-driving-through-%e2%80%98honor-system%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-5699 Marcotico Wed, 13 May 2009 00:16:19 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2128#comment-5699 What about just reforming the gas tax so it is a tax on the expenditure. Like a percent of each dollar instead of each gallon? What about just reforming the gas tax so it is a tax on the expenditure. Like a percent of each dollar instead of each gallon?

]]> By: Stats Dude http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/11/boxer-collect-fees-on-driving-through-%e2%80%98honor-system%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-5688 Stats Dude Tue, 12 May 2009 16:14:47 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2128#comment-5688 As I understand it, the reasons given for a VMT tax include: 1 – The costs of raw materials to repair and build capacity on our roads has increased much higher than the rate of inflation. 2 – As we go to higher MPG vehicles, hybrids and electric vehicles, even less money will be going to the Highway Trust Fund. 3 – The thought of going to the massive taxes on gasoline (as in Europe) to fund roads and transit is very sensitive politically. To be polite, there are certain groups that would find any tax increase to be reprehensible. In addition, the underlying derision of "European Socialism" which hampers so much reform options in the USA, will hamper transportation reform. As I understand it, the reasons given for a VMT tax include:
1 – The costs of raw materials to repair and build capacity on our roads has increased much higher than the rate of inflation.

2 – As we go to higher MPG vehicles, hybrids and electric vehicles, even less money will be going to the Highway Trust Fund.

3 – The thought of going to the massive taxes on gasoline (as in Europe) to fund roads and transit is very sensitive politically. To be polite, there are certain groups that would find any tax increase to be reprehensible. In addition, the underlying derision of "European Socialism" which hampers so much reform options in the USA, will hamper transportation reform.

]]> By: calwatch http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/05/11/boxer-collect-fees-on-driving-through-%e2%80%98honor-system%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-5684 calwatch Tue, 12 May 2009 05:32:31 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=2128#comment-5684 I still don't understand why mileage based user fees are a panacea in everyone's eyes. They're not. It increases bureaucracy, results in at least two, if not three orders of magnitude, of collection points (gas stations vs. individual cars; at least the license fee is based on something simple like age and value of the vehicle), and introduces potential privacy violations (because you can't bill people for mileage spent outside the state or country boundaries). It's good that Democrats and Republicans, no matter what their opinions on whether the gas tax should be indexed, increased, or whatever, believe that VMT is NOT the way to go. I still don't understand why mileage based user fees are a panacea in everyone's eyes. They're not. It increases bureaucracy, results in at least two, if not three orders of magnitude, of collection points (gas stations vs. individual cars; at least the license fee is based on something simple like age and value of the vehicle), and introduces potential privacy violations (because you can't bill people for mileage spent outside the state or country boundaries). It's good that Democrats and Republicans, no matter what their opinions on whether the gas tax should be indexed, increased, or whatever, believe that VMT is NOT the way to go.

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