WMass lawmaker wants mileage tax considered

BOSTON (WWLP) - A western Massachusetts lawmaker is proposing an alternative to the gas tax, which would tax drivers not by how much they fill up, but by how far they go.

State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield) is pitching a new tax that tracks the number of miles drivers travel.

Farley-Bouvier is a lead co-sponsor of a bill that would create a pilot program with 1,000 drivers statewide to track the miles they travel.  Based on that data, state lawmakers would identify ways to protect information, ensure privacy, and vary pricing based on driving, type of roads traveled, and access to transit. 

State lawmakers would ultimately seek alternatives and supplements to the gas tax.

“People in my district the gas tax would be very, very burdensome, so I wanted to try something new and use technology to help us gain revenue for transportation costs,” Farley-Bouvier said.

Governor Deval Patrick has proposed major tax reforms, including a steady rise in the gas tax, to repair roads, bridges, and extend commuter rail lines across Massachusetts.