Taxing By The Mile

May 5, 2011 The Hill reports that the Obama Administration is apparently floating a trial balloon about taxing people by the mile that they drive--and with a method of doing so that is really very 1984:

Among other things, CBO suggested that a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax could be tracked by installing electronic equipment on each car to determine how many miles were driven; payment could take place electronically at filling stations. 

I really am not keen on the government putting a tracking device on my car.  I understand why the traditional method of accomplishing this goal--a gasoline tax--is getting more complicated now that a lot of people are buying electric and hybrid vehicles.  But there is already a method available that is plenty cheap, and does not have the civil liberties threat of adding more equipment to our cars: assess the tax every year by seeing how many miles are on the odometer.  Perhaps have this be part of getting your registration renewed.

It would still be a nuisance, and really gives us another clue that the whole "green" delusion is a mistake, but it makes more sense than giving Washington one more way to keep track of who is going where.