Lawmakers in Washington state are edging closer to implementing a new system that would monitor and tax drivers based on miles driven, under a proposal supposedly centered around transportation funding sustainability.

 

The Washington State Transportation Commission and the Department of Transportation say the motor fuel tax, which currently pays for 76% of transportation investments, is unsustainable “over the long term.”

In a dizzying twist of logic, the Commission and DOT blame the prevalence of fuel-efficient cars as the reason the state now needs a per-mile tax, arguing that “the move to cleaner, smarter vehicles must be accompanied by a change in the way we pay for our roads.”

“Population and vehicle miles traveled will continue to increase but vehicles will burn less gasoline – resulting in less revenue to maintain and operate our roadway system,” a state-funded promotional pamphlet declares.