Let the new taxes begin...

[freelance]

I suppose this is to punish us for driving fuel efficient cars.

Kuhl Conducts Road User Charge Tax Study in North Carolina

Two hundred Triangle drivers will be recruited this fall to road-test a satellite-technology system that might be used one day to collect highway taxes on every mile we drive -- replacing the gas tax on every gallon we buy.

Computers mounted in volunteers' cars will use global positioning system tracking to count the miles -- even across state lines.

Participants will receive make-believe state and federal tax bills for their miles. For their time and their opinions, they'll be paid $895 in real money.

More:

http://www.engineering.uiowa.edu/news/newsDetail.php?newsID=243

[Bruno]

The insanity never ends. Technology just keeps providing more ways for these idiots to tax people.

[seapilot]

Have to drive more on days with high solar flare activity. This is another way to tax people that avoid the toll roads.

[ItsTime]

Not just tax but track

[beerista]

As a taxing system, this is probably the most equitable I've heard. As yet another way to monitor the population 24/7 with the excuse of fair taxation (at least they're not claiming "terrorism" for a change), it is positively vile.

[pyrazole2]

Not just tax but track

exactly

[Mini-Me]

Not just tax but track

That was the first thing I thought, too...

[sevin]

Oh my God. What next?

[Texan4Life]

Not just tax but track

+1

Arent they already doing the same thing in Europe but under the excuse its for better planning of roads and stop lights and stuff?

[Fox McCloud]

On one hand, I think this is pretty good, as it's more of a usage fee than a tax.

The downside? I don't want a freaking GPS mounted in my car which the government can use to pinpoint my EXACT (literally) location...no thank you.

If there was some way we could go to pay per mile (or pay for unlimited mileage in a certain area) without GPS or tracking (and the gax-tax, for sure was 100% repealed forever), I'd be supporting this system 100%.

That said, there would be tracking, and I'd fear that the gas tax would be conveniently forgotten to be repealed.

[lodge939]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14569.html

you aint seen nuthin yet. Here comes the New Deal 2.0!

[freelance]

I forgot to mention the tracking aspect. That was a given. Just consider every change includes some sort of tracking "enhancement."

[ItsTime]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14569.html

you aint seen nuthin yet. Here comes the New Deal 2.0!

I just saw someone on another forum say "the new deal saved capitalism"

[devil21]

It will probably also automatically generate speeding tickets that are added to your "tax bill". Who needs speed cameras? We got satellites baby!

[TheEvilDetector]

On one hand, I think this is pretty good, as it's more of a usage fee than a tax.

The downside? I don't want a freaking GPS mounted in my car which the government can use to pinpoint my EXACT (literally) location...no thank you.

If there was some way we could go to pay per mile (or pay for unlimited mileage in a certain area) without GPS or tracking (and the gax-tax, for sure was 100% repealed forever), I'd be supporting this system 100%.

That said, there would be tracking, and I'd fear that the gas tax would be conveniently forgotten to be repealed.

anonymous prepaid tokens (mass produced and sold at supermarkets), scanned at toll points,
refillable with cash at any convenience store counter (similar idea to refilling a prepaid mobile)
small lcd display, shows balance.

prepaid token not tied to purchaser or to vehicle, completely anonymous (unless toll evasion is detected, see below)

vehicle photo only taken if no token is present when passing through toll point.
ticket issued if a patrol car monitoring toll point, detects toll evasion and pulls car over.

toll is routed from anonymous prepaid account to various road operators upon scanning.

[satchelmcqueen]

On one hand, I think this is pretty good, as it's more of a usage fee than a tax.

The downside? I don't want a freaking GPS mounted in my car which the government can use to pinpoint my EXACT (literally) location...no thank you.

If there was some way we could go to pay per mile (or pay for unlimited mileage in a certain area) without GPS or tracking (and the gax-tax, for sure was 100% repealed forever), I'd be supporting this system 100%.

That said, there would be tracking, and I'd fear that the gas tax would be conveniently forgotten to be repealed.

But why at all?Are we not free. Keeping the roads paved cant be an excuse either.

[Malakai]

Wow GPS in our cars. Our phones isn't enough.


I called my service provider, asked to speak to the manager, and explained that after 5 years with them I'm canceling because of the illegal caller data they handed over to the gov.
Bush may have made it so we can't take them to court, but I can live without a cell and not bend over and give them my money.

Cops have been using GPS signals from peoples phones to track "criminals" too. No thanks!

[Fox McCloud]

But why at all?Are we not free. Keeping the roads paved cant be an excuse either.

what do you mean, why not free?

[ArchPaul]

For their time and their opinions, they'll be paid $895 in real money.

Cool, so they're gonna be paid in gold? :D

[XNavyNuke]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14569.html

you aint seen nuthin yet. Here comes the New Deal 2.0!

What do you think the odds are of the Dems picking up their platform from 1932 to match their New Deal rantings? [/rhetorical]

Democratic Party Platform of 1932 (http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=29595)


We condemn the improper and excessive use of money in political activities.

We condemn paid lobbies of special interests to influence members of Congress and other public servants by personal contact.

We condemn action and utterances of high public officials designed to influence stock exchange prices.


The Democratic Party solemnly promises by appropriate action to put into effect the principles, policies, and reforms herein advocated, and to eradicate the policies, methods, and practices herein condemned. We advocate an immediate and drastic reduction of governmental expenditures by abolishing useless commissions and offices, consolidating departments and bureaus, and eliminating extravagance to accomplish a saving of not less than twenty-five per cent in the cost of the Federal Government. And we call upon the Democratic Party in the states to make a zealous effort to achieve a proportionate result.

We favor maintenance of the national credit by a federal budget annually balanced on the basis of accurate executive estimates within revenues, raised by a system of taxation levied on the principle of ability to pay.

We advocate a sound currency to be preserved at all hazards and an international monetary conference called on the invitation of our government to consider the rehabilitation of silver and related questions.

XNN