Letters: Big Brother in the passenger seat
Re “A black box in your car? It’s possible,” Oct. 27
The federal gas tax, set at 18.4 cents per gallon 20 years ago, has not been increased for inflation and therefore does not provide enough revenue to pay for road construction and maintenance. The simple, non-intrusive solution is to raise the gas tax.
Instead, there’s a push to install expensive tracking devices on every vehicle to monitor mileage and tax drivers accordingly. Taxes would increase to cover road costs, but the burden would be differently distributed.
Currently, a Prius driver pays less in gas taxes than a Hummer driver over the same mileage. This is exceptionally fair because a lighter Prius does less damage to the road and pollutes less.
Changing to a miles-driven tax system makes so little sense that the tea party and the ACLU are united in opposition. It would raise taxes, cost a lot to develop and create a government database of information about our driving habits.
What is there to like about this?
Terrence R. Dunn
Bakersfield
Ah, so very nice for the entrepreneurs to do the work of the government for it. I have absolutely no desire to have my whereabouts and comings and goings tracked.
If Ryan Morrison, chief executive of the California start-up developing a vehicle black box had thought this through, he would have seen the error in his approach. Trusting the government not to overreach and spy is naive.
Instead of thinking of the money they could be making, CEOs like Morrison should consider the large-scale impacts they could have on their fellow Americans.
Chris Sarvis
Foothill Ranch, Calif.
Really? Government might seek to install tracking devices in our cars for tax purposes? But of course, Big Brother wouldn’t have a convenient excuse for tracking us.
I know a great solution that’s been in cars for decades, is reliable and doesn’t cost more:
Odometer, anyone?
Marta Allen
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