by Steve Milloy, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow and Junkscience.com Founder
As appearing in the Washington Times
One reason that less than 10 percent of the $1.2 trillion “infrastructure” bill is earmarked for fixing roads and bridges may stem from another insidious provision of the bill intended to make those same roads and bridges unnecessary.
Tucked away in the 2,700-page bill is a provision for a pilot program to tax motorists by the number of miles they drive. At first glance, this provision may seem like a reasonable idea.
Road repair is supposed to be funded by federal and state gas taxes. The federal gas tax is 18 cents per gallon, and state gas taxes range from Alaska’s 14 cents to California’s 61 cents per gallon. Those gas taxes may be insufficient to maintain and expand roads, bridges, and related infrastructure. No one is debating that.
