Get real about taxes for roads

By The Gazette Editorial Board

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The Vehicle Miles Traveled tax is an intriguing concept.

The University of Iowa is set to release the results of a $14 million federal study on the feasibility of basing a road-use tax on the miles traveled by Iowans. Researchers installed GPS devices on 2,500 Eastern Iowa vehicles that reported miles driven via cellular transmitters.

Most drivers went into the study opposing this sort of taxation through remote tracking. But by the end of the study, 70 percent were OK with have their mileage monitored and just 9 percent were strongly opposed.

But intriguing research does not necessarily make for real world public policy.

It's true that Iowa faces critical decisions on how to pay for mounting road construction needs. We applaud Gov. Terry Branstad for appointing a task force to delve into the issue. Iowa currently relies on a per-gallon gasoline tax that is less reliable now than in the past as Iowans drive more fuel-efficient vehicles and hybrids. Alternatives will be needed in the future.

But let's face it, the biggest current problem with Iowa's fueltax-based road fund is that our leaders have lacked the courage to raise the gas tax in keeping with our basic transportation needs. It's been more than two decades since the last increase. Politicians of all stripes have been concerned more with the next election than the deteriorating roads and bridges.

A gas tax increase is a tough political sell. But it's easy to see how a GPS-tracked VMT tax would be even more politically difficult. In the real world, politicians don't get to try out a tax first before making it law. It has to be sold up front.

You can imagine the strong opposition to government mileage tracking. Commuters who live in Iowa's fastest-growing suburban communities would likely lead the opposition. Politicians, being politicians, would likely carve out all sorts of exceptions for groups with lobbying prowess. That's already happened with the gas tax.

And what about out-of-staters who roll across our roads? At least they have to pay the current fuel tax. And it will be years before technology addresses all the concerns about privacy and fraud raised by the VMT concept.

The VMT's day may come. Meantime, we need a realistic fuel tax.

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