Commission Recommends Increasing Gas Tax and Paying Per Mile

Articles — By forcechange on February 27, 2009 8:37 am

A congressional commission released a report on Thursday calling for a 10 cent per gallon increase in the federal gas tax, as well as transitioning to a system by which motorists are charged for how much they drive, rather than how much gas they consume. 

The bipartisan National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission noted that the current 18.4 cent per gallon gas tax is too small and unsustainable to support necessary transportation infrastructure projects.  Since concerns about climate change and dependency on foreign oil are motivating consumers to move towards more fuel efficient vehicles, the commission predicted that gas tax revenues will continue to be insufficient in the future.  As a result, the commission proposed that the country move to a system of charging motorists for how much they drive, rather than how much gas they consume.

While this plan would more accurately connect the amount drivers’ pay for transportation infrastructure to the amount they actually use that infrastructure, it would do relatively little to discourage increased gas consumption and consequential emissions.  However, in fairness to the committee, it is their duty to figure out how to pay for infrastructure, not how to fight climate change.