A car that gets 20 miles to the gallon will pay less on a per mile basis than someone who gets 25 miles for a gallon. The efficient car is penalized for traveling 5 miles further on that same gallon of gas.

If a per mile tax is imposed, I will intentionally go and get the least efficient car I can afford and like. That is, of course assuming that if a per mile tax is imposed, the per gallon tax is removed.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010985721_apwagastaxefficiency1stldwritethru.html

“To the list of woes facing a cash-strapped state government, now add fuel efficiency.

In Washington, motorists pay 37.5 cents on each gallon of gas. The money generates the bulk of revenue needed to build and maintain state highways, and it’s a significant source of money for county road projects as well.

Here’s the problem: Motorists require much less gas than they used to.”

“There is sort of that assumption by the government that we’re all driving around at eight o’clock in the morning to be really annoying.”

Those who do the most driving – and will therefore be required to front the largest portion of this bill – are small businesses, who are already trying hard enough just to keep the doors open in this still-very-uncertain economy.

What’s worse, though, is that the tax will do virtually nothing to reduce wear and tear on the roadways… just like the UK’s congestion charge has done virtually nothing to reduce carbon emissions output.

The only thing ridiculous policies like these (and cap-and-trade) does is line the coffers of government bureaucrats with even more money for them to squander.