However, as recently as his Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year, he acknowledged concerns from critics that government tracking drivers via GPS is fraught with legal questions regarding constitutionally guaranteed privacy rights.įederal implementation of such an initiative would undoubtedly be challenged in the courts and would likely result in a protracted legal battle.Ī number of trucking groups including the industry’s most powerful lobbyist, the American Trucking Associations (ATA), has urged Sec.
The Secretary supported the VMT tax during his brief run for the presidency in 2020. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says taxing drivers by the mile “shows a lot of promise” and could be a way to fund a big infrastructure overhaul. It’s not anymore, so a so-called vehicle miles traveled tax or mileage tax or whatever you want to call it could be a way to do it.” “The gas tax used to be the obvious way to do it. “I think a shows a lot of promise if we believe in that so-called ‘user pays principle’… the idea that part of how we pay for roads is you pay based on how much you drive,” Sec. Buttigieg told CNBC he believes a VMT tax “shows a lot of promise.” – United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg is signaling his support for imposing a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax as lawmakers consider ways to fund an expected $3 trillion infrastructure bill. The president argued that rebuilding US physical and technological infrastructure was a key priority to not only boost a sluggish economy, but to remain competitive with overseas rivals like China.īuttigieg said a plan to rebuild the nation’s roads, bridges and waterways would bring a significant return of investment.NEW DEVELOPMENTS Facing Backlash, USDOT Says Taxing Drivers By The Mile NOT Part of Infrastructure Bill But… Cars fill Midtown amid the COVID-19 pandemic on March 19, 2021. His comments came one day after the first press conference of Biden’s presidency, where he announced plans to unveil a $3-4 trillion infrastructure bill in Pittsburgh next week. He said the bonds show “a lot of promise in terms of the way that we leverage that kind of financing.” “You’re hearing a lot of ‘maybe’ here because all of these things need to be balanced and could be part of the mix,” the secretary cautioned, saying the mileage tax is only a consideration at the moment.īuttigieg later added the White House is also considering bringing back Build America Bonds, which are a special type of municipal bond first introduced by the Obama administration that have interest costs covered by the US Treasury.
“I’m hearing a lot of appetite to make sure that there are sustainable funding streams,” Buttigieg said.
Vehicles travel along Interstate 80 in Berkeley, California on Dec. The levy would tax drivers on the number of miles they travel, as opposed to the amount of gasoline they consume, which is no longer a reliable stream of income with so many electric cars on the road. “The gas tax used to be the obvious way to do it it’s not anymore… So, a so-called vehicle miles traveled tax or a mileage tax, whatever you want to call it, could be the way to do it.” “I think that shows a lot of promise… If we believe in that so-called user-pays principle, the idea that part of how we pay for roads is you pay based on how much you drive,” Buttigieg said on CNBC during an interview. The Biden administration is considering imposing a vehicle mileage tax on Americans - as a way to fund a multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure plan set to be announced by President Biden, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Friday. Head of country’s largest teachers union made $500K while fighting to keep schools closed IRS to forgive $1.2 billion in late filing fees from pandemic ‘Yoga to the People’ execs bent over backward to avoid paying taxes: feds Hochul’s call for 5.4M Republicans to leave New York is dangerous and disgusting