The White House backed off a suggestion by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that the Obama administration would consider a vehicle mileage tax in lieu of the federal gasoline tax, the Washington Post reported.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs shot down the idea when questioned by reporters — including by an Associated Press reporter, whose news organization had originally reported the news Friday, when it published an interview with LaHood, a former Illinois Republican congressman.
White House and DOT officials told the Post there were not any differences in their views that that LaHood never specifically advocated a VMT, which the state of Oregon has experimented with in a pilot program. (Click here for previous story.)
Privacy and driver groups have raised concern about instituting a VMT, the paper reported.
The Post, in its lead editorial Monday, said the idea of a VMT should be considered in the future to help aid the federal highway trust fund, which is low on funds because the 18.4-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax has not been increased since 1993.
LaHood is scheduled to address American Trucking Associations’ board of directors meeting Tuesday morning in Washington.
