White House: Forget The Travel Tax

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House says you can forget about a
mileage tax.
Press secretary Robert Gibbs made the comments after
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said taxing motorists based on
the number of miles they drive instead of how much gasoline they
buy should be considered.
LaHood told the Associated Press that the gasoline taxes can't
be counted on to keep up with the federal share of highway and
bridge construction costs.
Asked about LaHood's remarks, Gibbs said, "It is not and will
not be the policy of the Obama administration."
A mileage tax has been proposed in a number of states, but has
drawn some angry opposition. A tenative plan in Massachusetts to
use GPS chips in vehicles has drawn complaints from drivers who say
it's an Orwellian intrusion into people's lives. Others say it
eliminates an incentive to drive fuel-efficient cars.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)