LaHood to Consider Vehicle Mileage Tax
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood wants to consider taxing motorists by how many miles they drive, the Associated Press reported Friday.
The fuel taxes that have helped the federal government pay for road construction for decades are no longer raising enough money, LaHood said Thursday.
States such as Idaho, Rhode Island, North Carolina and Massachusetts have recently talked about instituting a vehicle miles traveled tax to replace fuel taxes, AP said.
Massachusetts drivers have criticized that state's proposal, which would involve using GPS technology to record drivers’ mileage, as an intrusion of privacy.
LaHood has also mentioned tolls and public-private partnerships to finance transportation construction, AP said. He opposes raising the federal gasoline tax, citing the economic recession.
