In California, communism is taking up a new trend. A voluntary pilot program will be charging drivers based on mileage instead of gas purchases. Of course it comes forth as voluntary. It is how everything is changed gradually. If it comes through force, no one will accept.
The reason being that after channelling Californian drivers to switch to hybrid and electric vehicles, California has lost gas tax revenue, that helps to support the state’s transportation system.
The usual problem-reaction-solution. The problem is that Californian people were channelled to scrap their gas vehicles. The reaction is that California has lost gas tax revenue. The solution is to tax the people according to mileage.
And so, communism has come up with a wonderful experiment: “a state-run pilot program will test taxing drivers based on mileage instead of fuel usage.” This is a six-month pilot that begins in August will involve around 800 volunteers randomly split into two groups. One will be charged a flat rate of 2.8 cents per mile, which Prehoda, Road Charge Program Manager at the California Department of Transportation described, in the usual fuzzy, political, deceitful language as a “revenue-neutral rate” that brings in the same amount of money as the current gas tax. The other group will be taxed based on their vehicle’s fuel efficiency. The rate decreases as fuel efficiency increases.
“That rate is calculated by dividing the state’s per-gallon fuel tax, which will be 59.6 cents per gallon as of July, by the EPA’s fuel economy rating for a particular vehicle.”
The legislation that created the program doesn’t specify a rate cap. Of course, so that it can be tweaked accordingly, not in favour of the people.
“A Toyota Prius, for example, is among the most fuel-efficient midsize vehicles, getting 57 miles per gallon, according to the EPA. That would equate to a 1.05-cent tax per mile.”
“The EPA rates the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport sportscar as among the least fuel-efficient vehicles at 9 miles per gallon, which equates to about 6.62 cents per mile, still far short of 30 cents”.
“Participants will receive a credit at the end of the six-month study for gas taxes they’ve paid at the pump. Electric vehicle drivers will receive partial credit on registration fees, according to the program website. Participants also are eligible for up to $400 in additional incentives.” The usual carrots that authorities come up with to channel the people towards the totalitarian regime.
“After the pilot ends in early 2025, the department will create and publish a report on its findings, Prehoda said. At that point, lawmakers would have to pass legislation for the mileage-based tax model to take effect for all California drivers,” meaning, that Californians are screwed with a pilot program which will turn into a statewide policy.