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Re: Well, how else are you going to pay for roads??????
Author: FUD
Date: 08-08-2021 - 21:56
Automobiles ... and trucks. Despite all the carping about road damage and wear due to big pickups and SUVs and heavy (4-5000#) EVs, they're pikers compared to trucks.
Yes, diesel taxes are higher than gasoline, but that only nibbles around the edges of the need.
Several states, including California, have bitten the bullet and increased their own road taxes to make up for lack of action by the feds over the last 30 years. In CA, there's even an annual surcharge on registration for EVs (that roughly breaks even with gas taxes on a similar vehicle at 8-10,000 miles/year - below that, the EV owner pays a penalty).
A per-mile tax will take a lot of work to be "fair" in terms of vehicle weight and fuel effects, and privacy. It's not going to be simple, though the average politician and "advocate" can be counted on to claim it is. Back when everybody burned gas or diesel, and the amount you burned pretty closely tracked how much you drove and how heavy your vehicle was, it fuel tax was in fact simple. It isn't, any more.
Yes, diesel taxes are higher than gasoline, but that only nibbles around the edges of the need.
Several states, including California, have bitten the bullet and increased their own road taxes to make up for lack of action by the feds over the last 30 years. In CA, there's even an annual surcharge on registration for EVs (that roughly breaks even with gas taxes on a similar vehicle at 8-10,000 miles/year - below that, the EV owner pays a penalty).
A per-mile tax will take a lot of work to be "fair" in terms of vehicle weight and fuel effects, and privacy. It's not going to be simple, though the average politician and "advocate" can be counted on to claim it is. Back when everybody burned gas or diesel, and the amount you burned pretty closely tracked how much you drove and how heavy your vehicle was, it fuel tax was in fact simple. It isn't, any more.
