I would not want to ruin anyone's New Year by bring up the subject of fuel taxes, but it appears the National Commission on Surface Transportation wants to do just that. I suspected the lowest fuel prices in years would bring the tax collectors to the table. They are claiming since Americians are driving less and revenues are down, taxes must be increased. The commission is proposing a 10 cent tax on gasoline and 15 cent tax on diesel. Oregon and a few other states are looking at adding a tax or miles driven each year. This could be accomplished by a gps installed or having the owner report milage when the buy tags. Oregon is looking a .25 cent per mile driven or about $25.00 for 10,000 miles.

Today we drove from Tallahassee, Fl. to Cocoa, Fl. and the traffic on I-10 and I-95 was bumper to bumper at 75 mph. The big rigs had slowed to 55 mph when diesel was 4.50 per. They are all back up to 75 - 80 mph and keeping pace with the automobile traffic. I really don't know how much less Americians are driving now. I think they did conserve when fuel prices were high, but cheap gas has them all back in the road again. The tax advocates
want to raise taxes while prices are low, so the public will not complain so much. My 2c, What are your thoughts?

 

Belive me my thoughts would be edited.

 

I hate taxes, as everyone does.

Instead of continuing to raise our taxes, how about you start cutting costs (the state)?

 

I feel the same way, they must think we are stupid or something. LOL Oh well, as they say, 2 things are certain, death and taxes.

 

15cents a gallon on diesel = 3000.00 a year for the just the truck I drive.
Multiply x 3 comes out to 750.00 a month.
According to Biden the more taxes you pay the more patriotic you are. I will feel like one patriotic SOB. But it doesen't stop there there will be several states jump on the band wagon with their own 2c this could raise it even more.
What a lot of people don't comprehend this raises the price of everything you buy rent or even movie you go see. So the increase in tax is not the only thing that cost you.
This will cost everybody even if they dont own a car or lawnmower or ever buy a gal of gas.

 

This country sucks. I want to move to canada.

 

We still have the best country in the world, I just don't like underhanded tactics. We have to always remember to vote against the tax advocates whenever we can. I drive my truck less than 10k miles a year, so I'm looking at an additional 150.00 per year. Fuel prices are much higher in canada, because they are taxed more.

 

We buy canadian fuel way cheaper than they can buy their own fuel because of their taxes.

The 150 bucks a year is not what it cost you. The fuel is higher because the oil rig that drilled that oil has to charge more. The truck that delivered the fuel to the station has to charge more. the truck that hauls your groceries has to charge more. Every thing you buy has been on a truck at least 3 times that means besides the extra tax you have to pay 150 a year every dollar you spend will have at least 3 price raises on it even that can of beans. What I am saying is the 150 is the cheap part of this tax.

I know we used less fuel for a few months but I,m betting that 1/10 of a cent would have taken care of their loss of income but we are the sheep here.

 

I won't get into an argument about which country is better, but fuel prices in canada are not as different as they once were. Once you factor in the exchange rate, there isn't that much difference. The main difference is more of the revenue made off of fuel stays in the country since we are a net exporter of fuel.

I am paying a provincial carbon tax at the moment and nearly ended up with one at the federal level too. Thankfully, the grits lost that last election....

BC has the highest fuel prices in canada at the moment. Last I checked it was $0.765/liter (CAD). Thats roughly $2.40/gallon (USD). Thats a solid 50% drop in the last months. When you consider the fact that most fuel levies are a fixed percentage, the tax revenue is directly proportional to the price of the fuel. Its a sad fact that most new taxes are introduced when the economy is low.

 

DAVID 85 you must be in southern BC the last time I went north I paid 1.95 cheapest down here in Co. to a whopping 1.29 a litre in northern BC. That is a big price difference.
I have noticed it it always way cheaper south of Prince George.

 

When was that?

FYI, I'm on north east vancouver island, so south coast.

 

December...

 

They have been talking about this in Oregon for a couple of years. I don't think it will happen because it gives no advantage for having a high fuel mileage vehicle. The plan would be to eliminate the state fuel tax and go with a mileage tax instead (some highway trucks are already taxed in a similar way). The state's vote is primarily controlled by liberal wack jobs driving Prius' and it would level the playing field between them, and us "gross polluters".

Your math is a bit off too. At $.25 per mile x 10K miles is $2500 per year.

Figure a car that gets 20 mpg, and you pay approx $.25 per gallon fuel tax.
In 10K miles, you will have used 500 gallons of fuel, for a total of $125 per year fuel tax.

Now figure one that gets 40 mpg. The same scenario has a total fuel tax of about $62 a year.

The new system will be a windfall for the government, obviously. It would be a 2000%+ increase in taxes. I don't think they are brave enough to attempt to implement it. Stupid enough?? Well, it is government.

And then the cost to purchase and install GPS systems on every vehicle in the state, and have another division of government to enforce and monitor it. I heard 3 years before it even start to pay off.

Jason

 

Oregon voters and it's government SUCK!
The Governor is a complete frickin' MORON!


Correct me if I'm wrong RCrawler.


The idiot also wants to double DMV fees AGAIN! Even the liberal voters who keep him in office are pitching a fit about this.

 

For once this week, I wholeheartedly agree with you

If you separated the Portland/ Salem metro areas from the rest of the state, and our votes actually counted in the outcome, things would be much, much different. Unfortunately, the Conservative Oregonian has no voice to be heard.

Gov. TaxandGougeMe is at the heart of it. But he's not the entire problem. We haven't had a decent leader in the Governor's office since the 80's. And it trickles down through every section of government, from DOT and ODFW, to CPS. Every day, I hear of some outrageous proposal or action from Salem.

Jason