Gov. Charlie Baker will veto miles traveled tax pilot program

A price per gallon of $1.99 posted at the Irving station at St. James Avenue and and Tapley Street in Springfield. (JIM KINNEY/ THE REPUBLICAN)

By Shira Schoenberg | sschoenberg@repub.com
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on August 09, 2016 at 2:25 PM, updated August 09, 2016 at 2:31 PM

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Gov. Charlie Baker will sign a road and bridge funding bill, but plans to veto a pilot program to test a new tax on the number of miles driven.

"We've already said that we don't support the vehicle miles traveled tax, and we're going to veto that section of the bill," Baker said Tuesday.

On the last day of the legislative session, the Legislature sent Baker a bill that would provide $50 million for a financing program for small bridges and a $750 million bond authorization for highway project funding, although most of the highway money would be reimbursed by the federal government. It would also make some administrative changes to the state's Complete Streets program, which gives municipalities grants to design streets in ways that accommodate cars, bicyclists, pedestrians and public transit.


The bill also directs the administration to apply for federal funding to test a new tax on drivers based on miles traveled.

Legislature poised to request funding for pilot program taxing vehicle miles traveled

Massachusetts could apply for federal funding to test whether to implement a tax on vehicle miles traveled under a provision that state senators inserted into a road and bridge funding bill.

The point of the volunteer program would be to figure out whether a vehicle miles traveled tax would work, what its impact would be, and how to best collect the information. If it goes well, lawmakers could consider replacing the state gas tax with a mileage tax.

Supporters of the pilot program say this is a way to continue to raise money to fund transportation infrastructure, as cars become more efficient and use less gas. Opponents say lawmakers are unlikely to repeal the gas tax and will simply tax residents more.