Saturday, January 24, 2009

Consequences

This article notes how the state government in Oregon worked to reduce fossil fuel consumption but then, as a consequence, saw its tax revenue fall, so now it wants to tax mileage by having all cars install a GPS device letting government know where and how much you drive so they can calculate your taxes.

What’s wrong with this picture?

An excerpt.

“For years, Oregon has been diligent about reducing the state's dependence on fossil fuels, but its environmental consciousness has come at a stunning price -- gas tax revenue is down $4.8 million a year compared with 2006.

“That drop, caused by lower fuel consumption and a slowing economy, has prompted Oregon to consider a new way to pay for road repairs: Democratic Gov. Theodore R. Kulongoski's upcoming budget calls for a highway tax based on mileage, not gasoline purchases.

“A state task force will look at equipping every new vehicle in Oregon with a Global Positioning System to record every mile driven and where. Motorists would pay at the gas pump based on how much they drove, no matter how fuel-frugal their vehicle.”