HASSO HERING

A perspective from Oregon’s mid-Willamette Valley

No carbon will mean mandatory mileage tax

Written June 6th, 2019 by Hasso Hering

Drivers in Albany and across Oregon are expected to all be tooling around in electric vehicles in about 30 years. The implication of that gets little discussion as the legislature prepares to pass its plan to force a near-elimination of fossil fuels and the emissions of greenhouse gas.


Road user fee goes up too

Written December 30th, 2017 by Hasso Hering

Oregon’s low-key experiment with charging road users by the mile continues, and on Monday the fee goes up in order to keep up with the jump in the state gas tax.

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Road-user-fee bill stalls in Salem

Written May 18th, 2017 by Hasso Hering

Legislators seem to be in no hurry to expand OReGO, the state’s per-mile road tax program, or to make it mandatory in a few years. A bill to do both was heard by the House transportation committee on March 15 but has seen no action since.


We road users have a sweet deal

Written January 8th, 2017 by Hasso Hering

If Oregon legislators propose an increase in the gas tax this year, as part of a package to keep up with the need for highway maintenance and construction, they won’t get any complaints from me. An accounting from OReGO showed me that I’m getting a really good deal, in my opinion, for using our roads.


OReGO update: Developing doubts

Written October 5th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

As one of the volunteers paying Oregon’s vehicle mileage tax — in theory anyway — I’m thinking the program is needlessly complicated as long as it applies to vehicles powered by conventional fuel. That’s because of all the record keeping necessary to calculate the tiny difference between the mileage tax and the fuel tax already paid.


OReGO: Some year the fun may stop

Written July 21st, 2016 by Hasso Hering

For about a year now, I’ve been one of the volunteers taking part in OReGO, Oregon’s pioneering test drive of a road-user charge, better known as a vehicle mileage tax or VMT. The experience has been painless and even kind of fun. But there may come a time when the fun stops and we all […]


OReGO update: How about bikes?

Written March 17th, 2016 by Hasso Hering

Let’s check in on OReGO, which seems to be flying under the radar of public interest and perhaps awareness. Maybe people would be more interested if I raised the possibility that Oregon’s pioneering approach to road taxation might some day work to get a little extra revenue from bicyclists as well.


 
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