Road tax should be replaced with a fuel tax - General

Switching to gas tax would mean someone who is driving through your state and damaging your roads might not have to pay a single cent for them if they bought their gas in another state. It may be inconvenient for those who do not use vehicles often, but they would be rewarded with the fact that those who are using the roads they pay for are paying their fair share to the appropriate state.

The problem is in the next 10/20 years electric cars will become far more common.

[QUOTE=jlj1;37925953]The problem is in the next 10/20 years electric cars will become far more common.[/QUOTE] that's a problem?!? [editline]5th October 2012[/editline] there are always going to be rednecks touting "gasoline superiority" so we can just keep taking gas more and more to keep revenue up enough to maintain infrastructure to a decent level, then start taxing people for their EV charger power usage later once EVs make up a significant portion of traffic

We already tax fuel in Australia, and so does pretty much every other country in the world. A large percentage of the makeup of final sale fuel prices are already substantially impacted by fuel levies or excise tax. Unleaded petrol in Aus has a tax component of $0.38143 per litre, then the cost price of petrol, then the added amount for profit, then 10% GST. There's already a large component of tax on the product, and yet we already pay road taxes. It'd be silly to drop any road tax in favour of more fuel excise. Don't forget, it would essentially be a flat tax - a tax that favours the richer over the poorer. Someone that lives 50 mins away from the CBD, where the land and rates are cheaper would be required to pay more due to the distances they have to travel. [editline]6th October 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=download;37488284] Also, we already have a fuel tax. It's 38c per litre. My idea would see that increased while seeing rego removed[/QUOTE] You'll never see registration removed - not a single element as it is right now. It means that cars are required to be of a certain standard, i.e. that they pass their roadworthy, as well as having compulsory third party insurance (or TAC fee in Victoria). It also allows cars to be accountable for any offences.

[QUOTE=mblunk;37926478]that's a problem?!? [editline]5th October 2012[/editline] there are always going to be rednecks touting "gasoline superiority" so we can just keep taking gas more and more to keep revenue up enough to maintain infrastructure to a decent level, then start taxing people for their EV charger power usage later once EVs make up a significant portion of traffic[/QUOTE] It's a downside when it comes to taxation. If fuel is purchased less we'll see less taxation, which means less revenue for the government. Context matters.

[QUOTE=Zally13;37934635]It's a downside when it comes to taxation. If fuel is purchased less we'll see less taxation, which means less revenue for the government. Context matters.[/QUOTE] Read the last part of my post

[QUOTE=mblunk;37936468]Read the last part of my post[/QUOTE] Yeah, but I don't know how you'd properly track electric usage.

[QUOTE=Zally13;37936651]Yeah, but I don't know how you'd properly track electric usage.[/QUOTE] EV chargers are already "smart" in how they work with the grid, my family has a Chevy Volt and we get cheaper rates if we set the thing on a timer to charge during off-hours. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult (assuming they're not already) for the power companies to track how much power your EV charger is using total, and then tax that just like the fuel tax. [editline]6th October 2012[/editline] But at a lower rate to further encourage EV adoption.

[QUOTE=mblunk;37937579]EV chargers are already "smart" in how they work with the grid, my family has a Chevy Volt and we get cheaper rates if we set the thing on a timer to charge during off-hours. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult (assuming they're not already) for the power companies to track how much power your EV charger is using total, and then tax that just like the fuel tax. [editline]6th October 2012[/editline] But at a lower rate to further encourage EV adoption.[/QUOTE] You don't think that people would find ways to circumvent this?

[QUOTE=Zally13;37938709]You don't think that people would find ways to circumvent this?[/QUOTE] There are ways to circumvent everything, but if you make it the law to register your EV charger and such, then you'll get the tax money flowing.

[QUOTE=mblunk;37938738]There are ways to circumvent everything, but if you make it the law to register your EV charger and such, then you'll get the tax money flowing.[/QUOTE] Seems a lot more difficult than simply having a car tax, not to mention it's of course a more flat tax than the others.