[Vision2020] Tax by the mile

[David M. Budge]

Joan, although I haven't checked your arithmetic it passes the "sniff 
test." I too thought that that Mr. Just's claim was a case of 
post-purchase rationalization which had succumbed to self-serving 
embellishment.  Of course the reporter may have tweaked the numbers for 
a bit of rank sensationalism as well.  But let's not spend the day 
picking the fly sh_t out of the pepper. 

I know it's unfair to answer a question with a question, but this 
requires a bit more thinking.  Are Democrats concerned about the 
potential regressive nature of a direct use tax and its affects on the 
poor and the working poor?  In that context, how does it compare to the 
gasoline tax?  What is your reaction to the privacy issue? 

Tom Hansen thinks that this has no legislative legs due to big oil 
interests.  On the contrary, this places less of a burden on gas 
guzzlers (assuming of course that this tax replaces some of the current 
gas tax - but one should never second guess the stupidity of any 
legislative body.)  Additionally, this is at the state level so a much 
higher amount of unwieldy legislation is due to be produced.  On Tom's 
point though, is there really any environmental implication?

I ask because this is one of those articles that has some real 
prescience in its subject matter.  What do I know, I live in Montana and 
I drive a 15 year old pick-up truck.  I am, however, quite interested in 
everyone's opinion.

Dave Budge




Joan Opyr wrote:

> Professor Budge,
>  
> I guess my question would be what, comparatively speaking, is the 
> damage done by a lightweight hybrid that gets 51 miles per gallon as 
> opposed to something that costs $500 a month in gas?  Let's do the 
> math here -- my car (a 1995 Mercury Tracer) gets 37 miles to the 
> gallon, which means that I'd use 54.06 gallons of gas to drive 2000 
> miles, the number cited by Mr. Jason Just as the total of his monthly 
> commute.  In Moscow, at present, gas is $1.88 per gallon, so I'd pay 
> $101.63 for my 2000 miles.  Even with his 51 mpg hybrid, Mr. Just says 
> that he's only saving about $300 per month.  Either gas is much more 
> expensive where Mr. Just lives, or he's clocking up more than 2000 
> miles per month. 
>  
> Assuming a gas price of $1.88 per gallon (just for the hell of it), I 
> have to wonder what kind of vehicle Mr. Just was commuting his 2000 
> miles a month in that could possibly have cost him $500 to operate?  
> Was it by any chance Ford Excursion?  Or a Humvee?  Or a combine 
> harvester?  Because (and ya'll feel free to correct my math here) it 
> looks to me like Mr. Just was only getting 7.52 miles to the gallon.  
> I also own a 1976 Chevy Suburban that mostly sits in my driveway and 
> drips oil, but when I do break it out of the mothballs, even it gets 
> about 12 mpg.
>  
> So here's the thing -- if you insist on commuting 2000 miles per 
> month in a combine harvester rather than a gas/electric hybrid, then 
> I'd guess that you were doing more road damage than you would if you 
> switched to a lighter weight, more pavement-friendly Toyota Prius.  
> Hence, it doesn't really matter if the states are collecting less at 
> the pump; it should all even out because they'll need to perform less 
> road maintenance.  Or, to put it another way, those vehicles which do 
> the most damage to the road, AKA large trucks, SUVs, and tractor 
> trailers, will be justly obliged to pay the bulk of the gas taxes.
>  
> How's my Democratic answer, Professor Budge?  Did I pass the exam?
>  
> Joan Opyr/Auntie Establishment
> www.auntie-establishment.com <http://www.auntie-establishment.com>
>  
>  
>
>     ----- Original Message -----
>     From: David M. Budge
>     Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 1:08 PM
>     To: Vision2020 Moscow
>     Subject: [Vision2020] Tax by the mile
>      
>     (I emailed this previously, but it seems to have fallen into the bit
>     bucket - if a duplicate is delivered I apologize in advance)
>
>     What say you to this Republicans and Democrats?
>
>     Dave Budge
>
>
>     <http://www.cbsnews.com>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>     States Mull Taxing Drivers By Mile
>     CORVALLIS, Ore., Feb. 14, 2005
>
>
>     College student Jayson Just commutes an odometer-spinning 2,000
>     miles a
>     month. As CBS News Correspondent Sandra Hughes reports, his
>     monthly gas
>     bill once topped his car payment.
>
>     "I was paying about $500 a month," says Just.
>
>     So Just bought a fuel efficient hybrid and said goodbye to his
>     gas-guzzling BMW.
>
>     And what kind of mileage does he get?
>
>     "The EPA estimate is 60 in the city, 51 on the highway," says Just
>
>     And that saves him almost $300 a month in gas. It's great for Just
>     but
>     bad for the roads he's driving on, because he also pays a lot less in
>     gasoline taxes which fund highway projects and road repairs. As
>     more and
>     more hybrids hit the road, cash-strapped states are warning of rough
>     roads ahead.
>
>
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