fugazi
King
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2009/11/kilometer_tax_info_will_be_use.php
The general premise is that every car will get a meter onboard that sends out signals to machines alongside the roads to register every mile they drive and billing you for it. Using the speedways during heavy traffic hours will cost you substantially more. This is to reduce traffic and fight traffic jams.
The government insists that this system will replace the current yearly tax you pay for owning a car and the tax you pay 'for buying a new car'. Mind you, not the tax on the new car itself but the act of buying a new one. They promise citizens that they'll end up spending less money and that the government will pay for these machines. It won't cost you 'anything'. The flipside is that already they intend on adding a CO2 emission tax and the local government will be adding a province citizen tax to make up for the losses. Also the heavy traffic tariffs haven't been used for the calculations to check whether you'll be paying less on a yearly basis as a regular driver.
On top of that they'll be storing all this information and will be actively using it to 'fight crime and terrorism'.
So how do you like Holland now, where the government cares about your privacy and safety? Oh, and be sure to keep a hand on your wallet at all times while you're here.
Kilometer tax info will be used by state
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Information stored in the kilometer tax meters every driver must have in 2012 will be used by government investigators if the 'security of the state' is at risk, the Telegraaf claims on Wednesday.
Police and security service investigators will also be able to access the information in the 'prevention, detection and pursuit of criminal acts', the paper says.
The information comes from 'an explanation of the draft legislation', the paper says, without giving sources.
On Friday ministers gave the green light to the the implementation of the kilometer tax for all drivers. Each car on the roads will be fitted with a GPS device which will use satellites to monitor where and when the car is driven and send the information to a central billing point.
The ministry said on Friday the information collected about motoring habits would be 'legally and technically' protected and would not be accessible to other government agencies.
Big Brother
'It is a real Big Brother is watching you story,' said Liberal MP Charlie Aptrots in the Telegraaf.
But ChristenUnie MP Ernst Cramer said the fuss about privacy is exaggerated. '[Information stored on] my supermarket bonus card and mobile phone mean my life is already out in the open,' he said.
The Telegraaf has mounted a strong campaign against the kilometer tax since last week.
© DutchNews.nl
The general premise is that every car will get a meter onboard that sends out signals to machines alongside the roads to register every mile they drive and billing you for it. Using the speedways during heavy traffic hours will cost you substantially more. This is to reduce traffic and fight traffic jams.
The government insists that this system will replace the current yearly tax you pay for owning a car and the tax you pay 'for buying a new car'. Mind you, not the tax on the new car itself but the act of buying a new one. They promise citizens that they'll end up spending less money and that the government will pay for these machines. It won't cost you 'anything'. The flipside is that already they intend on adding a CO2 emission tax and the local government will be adding a province citizen tax to make up for the losses. Also the heavy traffic tariffs haven't been used for the calculations to check whether you'll be paying less on a yearly basis as a regular driver.
On top of that they'll be storing all this information and will be actively using it to 'fight crime and terrorism'.
So how do you like Holland now, where the government cares about your privacy and safety? Oh, and be sure to keep a hand on your wallet at all times while you're here.