the tax increase is beginning

Oregon is among a growing number of states exploring ways to tax drivers based on the number of miles they drive instead of how much gas they use, even going so far as to install GPS monitoring devices in 300 vehicles. The idea first emerged nearly 10 years ago as Oregon lawmakers worried that fuel-efficient cars such as gas-electric hybrids could pose a threat to road upkeep, which is paid for largely with gasoline taxes.

Who would get hardest hit by a change from taxing gas by the gallon to taxing mileage? Hybrid owners. Those who bought little tincan cars that get 60 mph. Who would benefit? Service industries that drive gas-guzzling trucks such as electricians, plumbers, cleaners, not to mention those who drive big-mama vans that only get 13 mph. That is the only thing positive about this road-tax tinkering politicians seem to be engaging in these days.

I really don't like the gradual elimination of individual privacy from our government. I don't want them to have any more of my personal information than they absolutely have to know. I don't want them knowing where I am driving, how fast I am going, even how many trips I make to the library. This issue is being raised by lawmakers in many states in reference to the Real ID program, which would create a national ID card and allow the government to track every citizen.

Critics also claim that Real ID diminishes privacy, and they object to a national ID that would have to be shown for everyday identification purposes.
"Certainly people should be identified by high standards when that's called for, but it's not called for when you're going to buy beer," said Jim Harper, director of information policy studies for the Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank.
"If we're going to have our identity recorded every time we buy beer or use a credit card or buy gas, that turns into one big surveillance system," he said.

I can only see malicious things coming from it. Remember the use of information to smear Joe the Plumber??

And do you thing that somehow states could accomplish this without increasing road use taxes 50%-100%? They are already working on that.

Motorists are driving less and buying less gasoline, which means fuel taxes aren't raising enough money to keep pace with the cost of road, bridge and transit programs.
A federal commission created by Congress to find a way to make up the growing revenue shortfall in the program that funds highway repairs and construction is talking about increasing federal gas and diesel taxes.
A roughly 50 percent increase in gasoline and diesel fuel taxes is being urged by the commission until the government devises another way for motorists to pay for using public roads.

Didn't the government ask us to use less gas and buy more fuel efficient cars? So now that many Americans did, the feds complain because the tax money isn't flowing in as fast to the treasury. North Carolina did the same thing last year during the severe drought. The counties asked people to reduce their water consumption by 40% as some areas were at risk of completely running out, but then the pencil-pushers in Raleigh decided to raise rates to make up for the shortfall in tax revenue.