Taxing you by the mile

WASHINGTON (AP) — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says he wants to consider taxing motorists based on how many miles they drive rather than how much gasoline they burn — an idea that has angered drivers in some states where it has been proposed.

Gasoline taxes that for nearly half a century have paid for the federal share of highway and bridge construction can no longer be counted on to raise enough money to keep the nation's transportation system moving, LaHood said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled," the former Illinois Republican lawmaker said.

"What I see this administration doing is this — thinking outside the box on how we fund our infrastructure in America," he said.

A blue-ribbon national transportation commission is expected to release a report next week recommending a VMT.

The system would require all cars and trucks be equipped with global satellite positioning technology, a transponder, a clock and other equipment to record how many miles a vehicle was driven, whether it was driven on highways or secondary roads, and even whether it was driven during peak traffic periods or off-peak hours.

The device would tally how much tax motorists owed depending upon their road use. Motorists would pay the amount owed when it was downloaded, probably at gas stations at first, but an alternative eventually would be needed.

The devices also could be programmed to charge higher rates to vehicles that are heavier, like trucks that put more stress on roadways, Atkinson said.

Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I'm not in favor of it, but I guess it's one way of "making sausage" when it comes to the upkeep of our roadways.

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I guess it's either that or raise the gasoline tax to fill the coffers enough. If this was instituted, talk about a back-handed way of trying to get people to buy homes in the city (i.e. closer to where they work) to save money, car pool, take public transportation, etc.

I'm not in favor of it, but I guess it's one way of "making sausage" when it comes to the upkeep of our roadways.

meta4 wrote:

Cincy Fan 44 wrote:I'm not in favor of it, but I guess it's one way of "making sausage" when it comes to the upkeep of our roadways.

Man, there sure is a lot of talk about sausage lately!

meta4 wrote:This type of plan may also fortify incentives to drive lower mpg vehicles... shifting the costs from fuel to travel.

On the other hand, this could also be viewed as an infringement on freedom of movement.