According to an Associated Press story, Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., said Tuesday that he wants Congress to enact a mileage-based tax on cars and trucks to pay for highway programs now rather than wait years to test the idea.
He said he sees no point in waiting years for the results of pilot programs and studies since such a tax system is inevitable as federal gasoline tax revenues decline.
The tax would entail equipping vehicles with GPS technology to determine how many miles a car has been driven and whether on interstate highways or secondary roads. The devices would also calculate the amount of tax owed.
I have such outrage on this topic, I almost have no words. Picture me behind my computer screen right now, arms flailing, sputtering to form words from the guttural sounds pouring out of my mouth. The GOVERNMENT want to put GPS’s on our cars to MONITOR how far we’re going to TAX us? Forget Big Brother. This is worse than that!
What about better managing all the other taxes we pay? Or getting that federal gas tax revenue from the oil companies who are (at this very moment) waking up and bathing themselves in their billions they made from our $5-a-gallon gas? And if I’m going to have to pay for a mileage tax (which I’m not, because if this acutally gets anywhere, I’m marching on Washington, who’s with me?), but if I did, you’re telling me I’d have to pay a mileage tax and the Garden State Parkway tolls?
