The biggest thing happening in Washington right now is Democrats attempting to pass a $3.5 trillion infrastructure package. There is now a so-called bipartisan infrastructure plan on the table for $1 trillion. But if you read the fine print it does not have much to do with infrastructure.
One of the dirty little gems hidden in the package includes a vehicle mileage tax program.
So what does that mean, exactly? Long story short, we will be taxed on every mile we travel. Motorists will be required to report their mileage to the government and pay a certain amount for every mile we drive.
Therefore people who have a commute to work or travel for work will be paying a pretty penny more than those of us who work close to home. I don’t see how that is fair in the slightest considering we are already paying out the wazoo for gas.
Forbes reports:
According to the infrastructure package, the goal of the vehicle miles travel fee is “to test the feasibility of a road usage fee.” Another goal, according to the infrastructure bill, is “to conduct public education and outreach to increase public awareness regarding the need for user-based alternative revenue mechanisms for surface transportation programs.”
This is only a pilot program for a vehicle miles traveled fee. Therefore, following the completion of a pilot program, the Biden administration may or may not implement a vehicle miles traveled fee. For the pilot programs, there will be volunteers from all 50 states, including both passenger and commercial vehicles. The drivers would have their miles tracked with GPS and data apps, for example, that would track their miles driven for a certain time period.
I truly hope this is not ever made into law.
