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Washington State has joined an Oregon study to look at the possibility of taxing drivers for every mile they drive. (Photo: MyNorthwest.com/File)

Washington and Oregon will make you pay by the mile

BY Jillian Raftery  on February 14, 2013 @ 4:08 pm (Updated: 4:33 pm - 2/14/13 )

Dori is saying "I told you so" to those who thought there was no way that Washington State would follow Oregon in promoting pay-by-mile driving fees. But he told you, and he was right: Washington is now testing how the program would work if applied broadly to all drivers.

Twenty volunteers in Washington have joined Portland's pilot program to gather data for the Washington State Department of Transportation, which is considering a similar tax program.

Participants in the pilot install a device that tracks their driving and get a monthly bill for one-and-a-half cents per mile driven.

Just because there's a pilot program doesn't mean it's going to happen. But Dori sees the move as a dangerous next step in our surveillance culture.

"They want to put a GPS device on every car in this state," said Dori. "They want to be able to track where you drive, when you drive, and you will be charged for every mile you drive."

Washington residents already pay some of the highest gas taxes in the country, but with more fuel efficient vehicles, the gas tax isn't cutting it to cover the cost of building and maintaining roads.

Meanwhile, a group of Washington mayors are pushing Olympia for even more taxes. They asked the legislature for increased gas taxes, motor vehicle excise taxes, and vehicle license fees.

Jillian Raftery, Social Media Captain
Jillian Raftery is a social media captain for the Dori Monson Show. She loves the neighborly vibe of the Pacific Northwest and spends as much time as possible outdoors.
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Comments (26)


  • Add A Comment

  • roomtemp wrote...
    Meh... Go ahead and try it. fascists.
    February 14, 2013 4:30 pm
    Won't work for me. There's realistically no device they could attach to a vehicle that I couldn't circumvent. And I wouldn't be shy about telling people how I did it.

    They're better off just raising the fuel taxes if they want to steal more money. Most vehicles still need fuel to run. Your gps widget, not so much.

    I propose a 25% payroll tax increase on all government employees to pay for roads and spur growth in the private sector. Let them eat themselves for a while.

    And to think we once went to war over a 2% tax on our preferred breakfast beverage. How the mighty have fallen...

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  • messiah101 wrote...
    Roomtemp And you were doing so well,Until
    February 15, 2013 6:04 am
    Your idiotic idea about a 25% payroll tax on government employees.As for disabling your GPS goes I think the Oregon system makes it impossible for you to purchase fuel if your GPS is not operating.With fuel economy increasing the States must find additional ways to find money to keep our roads open,I believe that heavy vehicles like trucks should pay a much higher fee to operate in our state as they are the ones who tear up the roads.Make them buy a annual sticker to operate within state boundaries as well as pay a higher gas tax.I'm with you on the GPS idea that will not fly with most people.
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  • ElenaT wrote...
    sending a bill?
    February 14, 2013 4:39 pm
    there is no way that would work. tons of people wouldn't pay it, either because they think it's a bunch of bs or just can't afford it or just forget (i hardly ever send comcast my bill until they turn off my service.) are you just going to have a bunch of delinquents driving around without licenses? kick people off the road and render them unemployed when they didn't budget for their 30-mile-commute-to-their-$15-an-hour-job? no way. an up-front gas tax is the only feasible option. this policy would just reward people with inefficient gas-guzzling vehicles and punish those of us who bought reasonable commuter cars - is that what our politicians want???
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  • Raymong wrote...
    What they want you
    February 15, 2013 9:25 am
    to do is sign you pay check over to them and pick up the change at the end of the month if there is any.
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  • Raymong wrote...
    That was a lousy comment
    February 15, 2013 9:26 am
    I ment to say, they want you to sign your pay check over to them.
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  • Ted Bundi wrote...
    No worry
    February 14, 2013 4:59 pm
    Buy a 10 dollar very, very powerful "whole earth magnet" and duck tape it to the transponder. Issue solved, drive as much as you want.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    This could be the final straw
    February 14, 2013 5:05 pm
    Regarding an outright revolt! This is absolutely the biggest spit in the face to every person, family, working class, middle class resident in the state. This is beyond unacceptable and if the liberal sheep in this state can't see what an invasion of privacy and flat out disgrace these unaccountable, incompetent law makers in this state really are, well, then they deserve whatever happens. Does anybody realize we have the highest gas tax in the country? Does anybody realize that WADOT & Sound Transit are the worst, most mismanaged, wasteful agencies in the history of the UNITED STATES? This cannot stand!
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  • sportsguru wrote...
    maplefish
    February 14, 2013 5:20 pm
    I am already sharpening my pitchfork, when is the march on Olympia?
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  • Saltchucker wrote...
    No way.
    February 14, 2013 5:20 pm
    There will never be a government tracking device in or on my pick-up. No Good to Go malarkey, no GPS. Freedom of Movement is a fundamental part of what being a US citizen entails. They know they can't put up "paper check points" like this was the Soviet Union so they try to dazzle us with technology? That don't fly with this patriot.
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  • roomtemp wrote...
    @Saltchucker...
    February 14, 2013 6:30 pm
    "They know they can't put up "paper check points" like this was the Soviet Union_"

    Wanna bet?

    "The Transportation Security Administration isn't just in airports anymore. TSA teams are increasingly conducting searches and screenings at train stations, subways, ferry terminals and other mass transit locations around the country."

    http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/20/nation/la-na-terror-checkpoints-20111220

    "In October Tennessee became the first state to conduct a statewide Department of Homeland Security Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) team operation which randomly inspected Tennessee truck drivers and cars."

    http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/02/29/the-tsa-is-coming-to-a-highway-near-you/2/

    I wonder what their plans are for these little bulletproof shelters? Hmmm... Air conditioning and stop and go lights. Any guesses?

    http://news.thomasnet.com/companystory/Shelters-Direct-Builds-Bullet-Resistant-Booths-for-Homeland-Security-612684

    Believe me, we're on the same side, the side of liberty and freedom. But unfortunately you are mistaken. They don't know that they can't impose 'paper' checkpoints. They think that they must. (Stay tuned for police state v2.0 *New flavor, with electronically enhanced tyranny!) With all the tools they have at their disposal nowadays, they'll make the Soviets look like rank amateurs.

    The distressingly sad part of it is that there are so many sheep that are ignorant of history and all too willing to trade their liberty for perceived security. Bin Laden is winning.

    Oh and, I need to see your papers and check your gps travel log comrade... :-D

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  • Raymong wrote...
    Most
    February 15, 2013 9:30 am
    It seem to me most folks today under the age of 40 can't spell liberty let alone define the term.
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  • Annie (1) wrote...
    Just wondering?
    February 14, 2013 5:50 pm
    Is there a chance WADOT is publicizing this idea as a sort of " scare tactic" -- thinking folks would go for a higher gas tax & tab fee if this was the alternative ?
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    I just added this up, and I would be forced to pay an extra 27 bucks a month for driving to work.
    February 14, 2013 7:14 pm
    Meanwhile, out of state drivers and companies like Uhaul who licenses trucks outside of the state will pay nothing.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • WiIliam Lawn wrote...
    one-and-a-half cents per mile?
    February 14, 2013 9:34 pm
    Yeah, in the beginning. How long before they say "oh just a half penny more." And keep repeating the increase. How long before it's 10 cents a mile or more? You're $27 a month will eventually become $50, and more. They will see this as an endless resource to tap into. And the truckers and couriers, all the services that drive for a living. How many more jobs will be lost. How much more expensive will food and other goods become because of the tax costs to deliver it? This is one of the worse tax ideas this state has ever come up with.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Fartface & Lawn :
    February 15, 2013 5:31 am
    60 years ago liberals would have been aghast at the tracking and violations of civil liberties.

    Trust me, increased taxes and commuting costs will be the least of your worries.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Ron P
    February 15, 2013 6:10 am
    With the outlook ahead of gas tax revenue decreasing it would not be responsible for government not to look at all avenues to make up that deficit.Iagree the GPS thing will not fly with the public.But gas tax increases are of course in order.
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  • WiIliam Lawn wrote...
    it would not be responsible for government not to look at all avenues to make up that deficit
    February 15, 2013 6:29 pm
    pleeease... they have more then enough tax payer dollars. Nothing comes in on budget, massive amounts of over spending. They need to cut, start at their waste.
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  • fartforce1 wrote...
    wondefull way to get both Republicans and Democrats to join up and fight WA GOV
    February 14, 2013 7:19 pm
    There must be something in the US constitution to stop this!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • rmayer wrote...
    crossing borders
    February 15, 2013 4:34 am
    Sp what happens when I cross the state border into Oregon? Will it know to transfer payment to Oregon from Washington? If I go to Idaho, will it stop tracking miles and I can drive for free. What about if I fill up in Idaho and pay their gas tax, will it get refunded when I get back to Washington? I'm sure all of these little things are accounted for, like in all the other genus plans developed by our state legislators.
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  • TwoTrees wrote...
    As the saying goes...
    February 15, 2013 7:53 am
    'If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it.' This 'study' is just modus operandi for our progressive friends to the South.
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