Washington State could replace Gas Tax with a Pay-Per-Mile Tax

[G. David Felt]

Per reporting by state news agencies like King 5, a bill is being discussed today, Thursday February 3rd, 2022. This bill which has been done via Pilot Programs starting back in 2017 would eventually replace Gas Tax with a Road Tax.

House Bill 2026 in Washington State would mandate the Department of Licensing to establish an early adoption program that would require registered owners of electric vehicles to pay a fee of 2.5 cents per mile beginning July 1st, 2025. Participant would be mandatory for all new electric vehicles and voluntary for older current electric vehicles on the road.

Hybrids would be allowed to voluntarily participate in the program on July 1st 1 year later.

Most other vehicles would be allowed to participate in the program beginning 1 year after hybrids.

 

The proceeds would go into the Road Usage Charge Account that solely funds transportation projects. This bill would also require that the Joint Transportation Committee to evaluate the program to figure out how to fully implement it across all auto's in the state by January 1st, 2029.

What is still not clear is the reporting as during the pilot program that had 2,000 drivers who were refunded their gas tax as they paid their mileage tax, there were various groups. The ways that each group reported was a reporting every three months by the following:

• First group did an odometer reading reported quarterly by the Emissions inspection sites.
• Second group used a plug-in device that they had to get read at designated locations to report their miles
• Third group used a plug-in device with GPS that auto reported their miles
• Fourth group us a Milemapper smartphone app for iPhone users

At 2.5 cents per mile this breaks down to the following road tax fee per auto:

• 6,000 miles a year = $150
• 8,000 miles a year = $200
• 10,000 miles a year = $250
• 12,000 miles a year = $300
• 15,000 miles a year = $375

Not including the Federal tax, Washington state gas tax is 49.4 cents per gallon. Plan by the state is to increase it by 10 cents this year, another 8 cents in 2023.

Washington's pay-per-mile tax bill gets first legislative hearing | king5.com

[balthazar]

These sorts of 'monitoring' proposals make me edge ever closer to a vintage daily driver with an easily-disconnectible odometer and no electronics.  I really should start looking for what I'd want now... 

[oldshurst442]

I dont like monitoring systems.

I dont like having to drive your car at a station for someone to read the mileage done.

Many logistical problems with this proposal.

Car leases.  The ones that are done before the year is up.  What happens?  The dealership reports the mileage when the vehicle has been given back?  The new car is reported how? 

What about those who rent cars frequently?

The rental agency adds another surcharge after the fact when the rental has been returned?  And the rental agency then gives the money to the government.

I could dream up of many more examples of how it will be easy to ignore, forget and plainly fraud the government out of money this way...

It is such a flagrant invasion of privacy it aint even funny.  Not to mention an open invitation to tax evasion...  

[balthazar]