This
is such
a
wonderful
country.
I mean
it.
Just
about
the time
I start
to think
about
having
to sit
down and
write
some
sappy
made up
story to
fill the
space in
this
column
each and
every
week,
the news
media
saves me
by
bringing
some
fresh
fodder.
Trying
to write
a column
such as
this
about
family
relationships
or
something
equally
weird
isn’t
nearly
as much
fun as
writing
about
the
goofy
things
our
government
is
considering.
So,
having
said
that…let’s
get
going.
I don’t
have to
tell you
that as
operators
of
gasoline
guzzling
vehicles
the
people
who own
the oil
deposits
in other
parts of
the
world
have us
in the
palm of
their
hand.
All they
have to
do is to
decide
to turn
off the
spigot
and
guess
what? We
go into
the
dumper.
Our
economy
would
collapse
in a
very
short
period
of time.
You
already
know
this, so
what’s
my
point?
Well,
for the
past
couple
of
years,
the
government
(mine
and
yours)
has been
pushing
for us
to be
more
efficient
and
conservative
when it
comes to
using
gallons
of
gasoline.
There
has been
a push
in this
country
to
increase
the
mileage
per
gallon
on our
vehicles.
We have
seen new
models
introduced
which
get many
more
miles
per
gallon
than we
have had
in the
past.
Some
folks
have
paid a
premium
to buy
these
vehicles
because
they
think
it’s the
right
thing to
do. Good
for the
environment
and good
for the
country.
So
what’s
my
point?
Well,
you
would
think
all of
our
efforts
to
reduce
our
dependence
on
foreign
oil
imports
would be
a good
thing
wouldn’t
you? Not
having
to be
under
the
thumb of
other
potentially
hostile
countries
would be
wise for
us…this
is a
good
thing
also,
right?
Wrong.
The
wonderful
State of
Texas
has just
performed
an audit
(July
20,
2007)
through
their
Dept. of
Transportation
(TxDOT)
which
recommends
dropping
our
current
18.5
cent per
gallon
gas tax
among
other
recommendations.
This is
good,
right?
Wrong.
Nope,
they
want to
consider
replacing
the
gallon
tax with
a flat
tax
based
on…ready
for
this?
The
miles we
drive.
Did you
get
that…the
miles we
drive?
It seems
that
since we
are
getting
more
efficient
though
our
driving
habits
and more
efficient
vehicles
that the
tax
revenue
has been
going
down. So
the
wonderful
government
isn’t
receiving
the same
amount
of money
through
the
gasoline
tax
because
we are
doing
what?
Think
hard,
there
will be
a quiz
at the
end of
the
column.
Here is
the
answer.
Using
less
gallons!!!!!!
So
what’s
their
answer?
Why
since
you are
getting
more
mileage
from
your new
Prius or
whatever
you
bought,
you are
using
less
gallons,
therefore
there is
less tax
going
into the
State
coffers.
So,
let’s
change
the
system
and
charge
you a
fee
based on
the
number
of miles
you
drive
each
year……that
makes
sense.
To
them…not
to me.
The
TxDOT
audit
reports
“It is
suffering
from a
lack of
transportation
funding
due to a
stagnant
motor
fuel tax
and
increased
popularity
of
fuel-efficient
vehicles.”
They go
on to
say
“TxDOT
is also
losing
revenue
as more
fuel-efficient
cars hit
the
highway.”
Duh? You
think
so?
Their
report
goes on
to
explain
how this
plan was
tested
in
Oregon
last
year.
What we
would do
is have
the
mileage
reported
annually
by using
some
type of
mileage
counter
or
possible
GPS
technology.
I looked
into the
usage of
GPS for
mileage
and it
has been
proposed
in other
areas
with the
idea in
mind of
charging
you more
to drive
in
certain
areas
and at
certain
times of
the day
or
night.
Some
toll
roads
are now
charging
more for
their
use
during
peak
periods
as
opposed
to
off-peak
hours.
Basically
what
this
boils
down to
is that
the more
efficient
we get
with our
driving
habits
and the
kinds of
vehicles
we use,
then the
more we
can
expect
to be
taxed in
one form
or
another.
So when
we
finally
get a
car or
truck
that
gets 100
miles
per
gallon,
it won’t
matter
since
we’ll
get
charged
a tax
for not
only the
time we
use the
vehicle
but the
number
of miles
we
actually
drove.
That way
if and
when
they
ever
came up
with a
vehicle
which
could be
operated
on just
plain
old
air….we
would
still
have to
pay
wouldn’t
we?
Quiz-
what
country
only
lets
their
citizens
ride
bicycles?
Are
those
taxed?
Death
and
taxes…no
escaping
either
one is
there?
