Creekside Art Gallery Blog

MILEAGE TAXATION COMING?    Privacy Issues…More Money to Drive

WASHINGTON (CNN) Report — The Obama administration is not currently supporting a policy of taxing car owners based on their annual mileage, the Transportation Department said Friday after a published interview in which Secretary Ray LaHood originally called it an idea "we should look at."  The mileage tax idea involves tracking drivers through required GPS units in their cars.  In a written statement, the department later said, "The policy of taxing motorists based on how many miles they have traveled is not and will not be Obama administration policy."    The idea — which involves tracking drivers through required Global Positioning System (GPS) units in their cars — is gaining support in some states as a way of making up for a shortfall in highway funding. Oregon carried out a pilot program and deemed it "successful."

Some states are now seriously looking at the mileage tax as a way to make up revenue for their great shortfalls.   (CNN) –“Trips would be measured by a chip installed in a vehicle inspection sticker…”  States institute and regulate gas taxes and emissions controls and other car related schemes all on their own without the federal government involvement.   This tax could incapacitate those especially who drive extensively to earn a living.  It would certainly negate any “individual stimulus money” headed our way.

 PERHAPS much worse than the money out of our pockets would be LOSS of our Privacy!!  GPS in your cars can do much more than just count miles driven; they can track and store where you are, where you have been, and where you end up.  Who do you want to know this information?  Many critics of the Vehicle Miles Traveled program argue that tracking drivers with GPS devices constitutes an invasion of privacy.  “It’s outrageous,” said Massachusetts state Sen. Scott Brown to the AP.

Are you infuriated at this potential loss of personal privacy?

Do you want to allow your state government to pull this off?

How will “mileage driven taxes” affect your bottom line?    Affect your life? 

Paul Fusco

February 2, 2009

Unfortunately I can’t see good things happening on the show front. The Miami and New York Modernism shows were canceled due to a lack of dealers and interest. Now I understand that the large Boston Antique show has also been canceled due to the lack of interest. So far the Boston Modernism show in April is still a go. My brother promotes this show and he has said he is going to proceed with the show in spite of the economy. I, of course, am wishing him and his partner well. We are promoting a vintage sports card and memorabilia show in April at the Strongsville Holiday Inn. The focus of the show is pre-1960 sports memorabilia. So far, the dealer sign up for show has been slow but attendees have been calling in anticipation. What is going on with the Michigan Ann Arbor show this spring??

What is happening?  Is the NYC market strong or suffering?   Are there crowds at the auctions and shows and gallery openings?  There are a lot of us who didn’t make it to New York City this month.  Some are watching the auction sales via the internet, others are getting some word-of-mouth feedback from those of you who are there. 

Christie’s and Sotheby’s, Doyle, Outsider Art Fair, Winter Antique Show, Antiques at the Armory, TAAS American Antiques Show, and the many galleries are a mecca every January.  What has been happening?

The week-long BARRETT-JACKSON COLLECTOR CAR EVENT in Scottsdale AZ has just concluded.   We’ve been watching. Is the U.S. economy, as most of us know it, affecting COLLECTOR CAR sale prices at this event? How do you think the annual New York City antique auctions and shows just starting will be affected by the U.S. economy?

 FORUM is an invitation for anyone and everyone to initiate or participate in an open discussion of topics related to collecting interests.  Don’t hesitate to bring up a question or thought….don’t hesitate to respond to one.  Thanks!