Massachusetts may consider a mileage charge

Massachusetts may consider a mileage charge

www.wtop.com

A tentative plan to overhaul Massachusetts' transportation system by using GPS chips to charge motorists a quarter-cent for every mile behind the wheel has angered some drivers.

"It's outrageous, it's kind of Orwellian, Big Brotherish," said Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, who drafted legislation last week to prohibit the practice. "You'd need a whole new department of cronies just to keep track of it."

(visit the link for the full news article)

Since this has already happened in Oregon, I was just curious as to how it works? Is it just tracking your mileage, or can they pinpoint your location at anytime?

Also, how do they go about collecting the money? At the end of the year, or monthly? Just thought maybe someone on here might be able to shed some light.

www.wtop.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

It is a state issued GPS device to track your mileage, not sure how the collection works.
Now, if it were only for mileage tracking it would not be so bad, as the state gasoline taxes are already a way of forcing you to pay by the mile. The argument from the state is that newer more fuel efficient vehicles use less gas ='s less gasoline tax collected. Now if that were the real concern they could lobby to increase the gasoline tax in proportion to the amount of average mileage increase, if 5% less gasoline were sold in the state then simply increase the gasoline tax rate by 5%.
But with the pay by the mile idea and using a mandated GPS then they can also not only track your total mileage, but when and where those miles are added. They could eventually add things such as "peak traffic time premiums" as an incentive to avoid rush hour. It could get worse, maybe state wide "anti-cruising" laws could be enforced as they are in some parts of some larger cities, citing the need for conservation. Think of the control. And while the GPS units used for this are simple things, not all of them are, for example the Northstar system used in some GM cars can lock and unlock the car doors, shut the engine down, deflate tires, as well as report immediate whereabouts. Now if the FED gets control of GM through all the recent bailouts, etc then will Northstar corporation be able to maintain their own control of these functions? If more and more states go to this pay by the mile via GPS systems then what is to eventually prevent them from upgrading to systems that can do similiar things as the Northstar system? It is not just about tax revenue, that would be easy.
More gasoline tax, and/or higher state regisration fees would take care of that. Whew....gotta get this tinfoil hat adjusted.

I've thought the same thing about the whole Northstar type things. Seems like it's too easy to get control of my vehicle from some desk on the other side of the country.

I didn't know that some cities had anti-cruising laws either. How do they enforce those?

I really love it. We fought like fools to get the government to lower the price of gas, because it was way out of hand. Then what do they want to do? Tax you to death just for driving now just to get another buck from you. Save us a few dollars, just so they can take it away from us. Good job Washington and State governments. Hey, how about a kiss or even an I love you after you get done raping all of us. Or here, just take all of my paycheck, ok, i`ll save you taking it by force.

Let them try it- just let them try it.

GET A JOB
! GET OUT THERE AND WORK! oh and dont forget to pay your mileage charge, trackable with the Beastly chip, dual purpose chip, Muhahahahahahahhahaha!!!!!!

WE KNOW WHERE YOUVE BEEN.....wE ARE WATCHING YOU....

Kiss my lower back. This is when i leave this stupid state.

Originally posted by Chucktah


Since this has already happened in Oregon, I was just curious as to how it works? Is it just tracking your mileage, or can they pinpoint your location at anytime?

Also, how do they go about collecting the money? At the end of the year, or monthly? Just thought maybe someone on here might be able to shed some light.

www.wtop.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

All the details are in the article.

Originally posted by texas thinker
Whew....gotta get this tinfoil hat adjusted.

Great explanation of the frightening possibilities
of our ever increasing controlling government. Yikes!

Everyone go up there and read his or her post.

I'm adjusting my tinfoil hat too after that one!:

reply to post by stevegmu


You're right! I read this in my local paper which was just a little snippet from the AP and assumed this link was the same. That's what I get for assuming. Thanks.

Aside from being able to follow us around...it sounds as if you're being penalized for buying a more fuel efficient car.

I guess its time to move across the state line and drive to work

no?


hahahah

A similar consideration is up for debate right now in Nevada. This is just wrong. Who's stupid ass idea was this?

I guess it will just be fewer trips to the mall to spend my money and fewer day trips on vacation, therefore the tourist areas will lose my money. Fewer miles means I am buying less gas, therefore fewer gas tax dollars. Seems like a bad idea to me.

Perhaps I am not understanding something but I don't see how it makes sense. How about a yearly tax break for buying an efficient car before they penalize us.

They already call it Taxachusetts.....this is ridiculous.

Its been a miserably cold winter here, and people arent happy, with all thats going on with unemployment and lack of jobs, this is all anyone needs.

I believe they want us prisoners. These people are totally nuts.
How much more do they need to do before people will totally revolt????

How much freedom can be taken away form us? I live in southwest CT, about a good 4 huors form southern MASS line. This is unamerican at the most, modern day..every american loves to ride the open road, via car or bike..so this is what it comes down too, a GPS unti(yuo will probably have to pay for outta your pocket) so they can monitor how far yuo go? god forbid a 50 foot walk, driving in car to store to get some milk n bread comes into question for them god forbid lol.
This should be fought and remind them this is un american..what about bikers>?? are they gunna gps bikes? motorcycles? how about joggers? God forbid, someone like me, enjoys a good 2 mile run, bu he city or state feels i shuold have to pay to run on their potholed walkway. They never fix potholes, here in my city. Ive actually had suspension damage a few times, unavoidable craters in the street, then i hear a piece of metal flingin across the street. They owe me then...they wanna isntall GPS, then every time i hit a pothole, im filing a comaplint to the state, and an estimate for repair

being this is digital im assuming,t hat means they can fudge yuor mileage, so you have to pay outta your butt, or will eventually give them a reason alter on, to jack the fee up...
sad to say i hope society falls apart, so they dont get their stupid mileage fee.. in fact, if it does, some of us shuold organize a group, and pay a nice little old fashioned visit to those who thought this up ( taps a baseball bat in hand) lol and remind them,.. WHO is supposed to be in charge, the taxpayer.

One last addition, sorry about he posts, this one got me fuming...
FInaly, thier is an excuse, to dump and leave yuor garbage on the road

One thing that doesn't add up is that the gas tax in massachusettes is 23.5 cents/gallon. They say their trying to make up for the loss when it comes to the more fuel efficient cars being produced, but at 1/4 of a penny per mile on a car that can get around 30+ miles per gallon?

Seems like they'll be losing money in the long run.