Mileage based road use taxes

[Midpack]

As a civil engineer, or at least most times, you have to recognize the public, tax payers, residents don’t want to pay for [-]infrastructure[/-] anything public. It’s a cultural and societal problem because what used to make the USA a first world nation was our first world infrastructure of roads, water treatment plants, domestic water systems, flood control structures, building codes, air ports, etc. And now that we all don’T want to pay for the use and maintenance of these facilities we no longer have first world infrastructure anymore.

FIFY. Many want more services and lower taxes, while we've been running deficits for decades...not just infrastructure. We're a largely willfully ignorant bunch of citizens when it comes to basic macroeconomics.

 

[ychuck46]

FIFY. Many want more services and lower taxes, while we've been running deficits for decades...not just infrastructure. We're a largely willfully ignorant bunch of citizens when it comes to basic macroeconomics.

It's not that people are unwilling to pay for things like infrastructure, they just don't trust politicians to do what they say they will with the increased tax revenues. And they have been proven right for decades now.

 

[CardsFan]

It's not that people are unwilling to pay for things like infrastructure, they just don't trust politicians to do what they say they will with the increased tax revenues. And they have been proven right for decades now.

But they, we, us, elect those politicians. Everyone likes to blame "them", but someone voted for them.

 

[d.davis]

As a civil engineer, or at least most times, you have to recognize the public, tax payers, residents don’t want to pay for infrastructure.

I have to disagree with this. I would like 100% of taxes associated with driving on public roads to be applied to build and repair public roads (inc. lighted intersections, lighting, paint and reflectors, guardrails, etc.).
But that's not the case here in Texas. A lot of vehicle fees and taxes go into the general fund (pronounced "state slush fund")and then politicians appropriate money to specific projects often not related to infrastructure. So my disdain with paying those taxes is they don't support the infrastructure. California seems to like the high speed train bottomless pit.

As an example of liking to pay taxes or fees to a state agency, I haven't fished the last 15 years but I continue to purchase the texas "super combo" hunting and fishing license because 100% of those funds, by law, are spent by the tpwd for conservation and hunt/fish activities.

Have States pass laws that say taxes and fees must be spent on that for which it was collected and taxpayers will be happy.

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[Koolau]

Have States pass laws that say taxes and fees must be spent on that for which it was collected and taxpayers will be happy.

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Yeah, if they made the infrastructure money inviolate, then I'd vote for higher gas taxes. I get tired of the tax "shell game."

 

[68bucks]

So why can't you report vehicle milage on your taxes and pay accordingly? I realize a few don't file taxes but the vast majority at least file. Or make that portion mandatory. If you under report intentionally it will show when you sell the vehicle and there will be a large bill due then. No tracking of when or where you drive is necessary so no privacy issues.

 

[Koolau]

So why can't you report vehicle milage on your taxes and pay accordingly? I realize a few don't file taxes but the vast majority at least file. Or make that portion mandatory. If you under report intentionally it will show when you sell the vehicle and there will be a large bill due then. No tracking of when or where you drive is necessary so no privacy issues.

I suppose it goes back to the question of where did you drive? Was it all in-state? If not, should you have to pay for out of state miles. For some, that's significant. In my case, it's not a problem.