We need to pay for the roads

[ShannonVolt]

I don't get why people say this. The government is not a single monolithic thing that thinks - it's just composed of politicians. Politicians will not bother to optimize government revenue - even at the most cynical, they are optimizing for votes and favor, not (the government's) profit. If they were optimizing for revenue, we would already have had tax hikes long ago, and a much better deficit situation (except that the deficit would the least of the problems in that case).

Don't tell me that govt doesn't pick the low hanging fruit. Where can govt recoupe lost tax revenue from companies I stated above? With some CA. localities legalizing pot so they can increase revenue is another example of something easily taxed since they are incompetent to control the substance to begin with. Besides, your over analyzing..

[Tmac]

I disagree
When was the last time federal gas tax increased????
Last year ? 2006?
Try the 1990s

How high is the gas tax? $1.00 per gallon?
$0.50?
Try $0.18 per gallon

State ranges from $0.25 to $0.70 per gallon


Most people get upset about the cause of crappy roads
They are unwilling to be honest about why they are in disrepair

People LOVE to piss and moan about bridges
Roads tolls poor infrastructure and how high taxes are
They do not realize that

You have nothing to worry about. If there is one thing government is able to figure out, it's how to get paid!

I'd be fine with them raising the tax on gas, to cover EV and hybrid road use, and some more to cover clean energy research and deployment.

We lived though gas going from $2 to $3 and then to $4. Make it $5 or more and use those extra dollars to free us from the noose of gas.

[VoltMike]

I pay enough in taxes already and see plenty of stupid wasteful road projects happening all the time.

Maybe instead for every EV sold they purge a freeloader from the welfare rolls to make up for the missed gas tax.

Where is the +1000 button when you need one?!

[AySz88]

Actually, this has possibilities. Most tires wear at relatively similar rates, and bigger heavier vehicles punish the tires more, just like they abuse the road surface. You'd want some sort of a prorating clause for tires that get replaced for damage, but this could be a simple place to put road tax. Clever.

Hmm, but how much is the tax? If the premium is too high, it might start to get people to use their tires longer than they should, which could get dangerous. (I also like the idea, though. And it would be relatively easy to get tire wear checked during inspections, for those states that don't do it already.)

[edit]

Don't tell me that govt doesn't pick the low hanging fruit. Where can govt recoupe lost tax revenue from companies I stated above? With some CA. localities legalizing pot so they can increase revenue is another example of something easily taxed since they are incompetent to control the substance to begin with. Besides, your over analyzing..

I'm not sure what your question means. Governments don't "lose" tax revenue by taxing those vices (tobacco, alcohol, etc.) - if you tax something, you get money - but the effect of discouraging the behavior you tax happens to be positive (and may be more the point than the tax money itself). It's kinda like a fine - it's the punishment that's more the point than the money (though the money doesn't hurt). Just like how people don't set the amount of a fine based on how much money they expect to get from levying the fine, people don't set these "discouragement" taxes based on maximizing revenue.

Also, I think the pot legalization thing is more about pot than about revenue (though I'm sure they don't mind taking the sales taxes).

And the over-analyzing bit is meant as a sort of badge of honor, as you might have guessed.

[Wolfman]

When running in EV only mode we don't burn any gas and hence don't pay any road use tax. Great for now, but it can't last. What is the best way for EV'ers to pay our fair share of the road building and maintenance?
Yearly tax?
Mileage tax (GPS reporting)?
Tax on electricity used for charging?

Your ideas?

Nobody prevents you from voluntarily writing a check to your local friendly DOT. I pay all kinds of taxes at seemingly every level or transaction. If I save some money on fuel tax with the use of EV mode on this car, so be it. There are still three other vehicles in my stable that use plenty of gasoline.

[Casita]

If you look at your power bill you are paying a lot of taxes on your electricity. It would seem that some of that should go toward the roads.