So how do we pay for roads.....

[Elumia]

I saw on another topic that Mercedes goal was to have its entire line of cars non petroleum fuel based. That combined with the resurgence of electric and hybrid vehicles and the EPA CAFE regulations that demand higher mileage cars begs the question.....

How will we pay for roads when gas tax revenue falls? As it stands now, auto mfgs are beholden to the internal combustion engine because it will take loads of engineering dollars to change to a different power source that they will have a hard time recovering. Oil companies don't want to change their fuel delivery infrastructure. The government also has a vested interest in keeping the current system as it is how we fund road construction and maintenance.

If you have a plug in electric vehicle, how do you pay for your share of the road maintenance and construction?

Should you pay a mileage fee at the DMV when you register it? This means that those who drive more would pay more since they are using more.
Should you pay a fixed "electric vehicle use fee" annually when you register it?
Should we start transferring over to toll roads?
Should you pay the electric company a tax? What if you generate your own via solar or wind?

Obviously hydrogen and biofuels can be taxed at a delivery point, so that could be set up as a similar system.

Should you pay for what goes out the tailpipe too?

Interesting questions that surely will need to be answered. Things to keep on top of before your legislator makes up your mind for you!

Mark

[starleen2]

oh, I'm sure they'll find a way - who ever though that income could be taxed ...but here it is

[planovet]

Here in North Texas were are paying for the roads with tolls. More and more toll roads popping up. Funding is so far behind that if you want a road built anytime soon you will have to pay for it with tolls. My tolltag fees run about $80 a month.

[bittmann]

Apparently, fines are a viable option in some municipalities...

[planovet]

As recreational vehicles streamed in for race week, revenue investigators were checking fuel tanks of diesel RVs for illegal fuel.

I mean, really? Don't they have better things to do?? What happened to the good old days when revenuers just looked for illegal stills???

[Miriam C.]

So right now the well to do, green folks aren't paying their share????Say it ain't so.

[Leon]

In California if you have an electric vehicle you pay a hefty charge with your registration.

[Wos]

I've heard rumours that some gov'ts are thinking of monitoring the number of miles you drive and tax you accordingly.

[BPFox]

Can anyone say "Big Brother is watching you?".

Fines for using illegal diesel fuel have been around longer than biofuels. Just ask any driver who has been caught with "off road" diesel in his tanks. The biggest difference between "off road" diesel and regular diesel is more than just the color. It's the taxes. "Off road" diesel is much less expensive because it does not have highway use tax applied to it. I am sure the government folks are looking at home made biodiesel the same way they look at folks trying to get away with using "off road" diesel. While the motivation is different the tax dodge is the same and the fine is justified in my opinion. I don't like taxes anymore than the next guy, but tax evasion is tax evasion.

[Siobhra]

As recreational vehicles streamed in for race week, revenue investigators were checking fuel tanks of diesel RVs for illegal fuel.

I mean, really? Don't they have better things to do?? What happened to the good old days when revenuers just looked for illegal stills???

They are checking for 'farm use fuel'. Diesel fuel sold to farms for their tractors is exempt from road tax since the farm equipment will not normally be run on public roads. It is tinted to make it easy for the police and revenue agents to tell 'farm' fuel from 'road' fuel.