The way you frame this makes it seem like a road tax is in our future. That, in turn, makes me more skeptical about this study, the funds for which were granted by the EPA. I’m not really insinuating the EPA is after your tax dollars, but the fact that a government agency funds a study that can have tax implications should at least raise an eyebrow. I don‘t know how common this is.
The problem I have with this is that the gas tax was [Edit: this is apparently not true, as was pointed out below] created because exhaust fumes were damaging the environment and reducing air quality - and I agree with that. But now that we have made significant strides towards reducing emissions - both in the way of more efficient vehicles and battery-operated vehicles - causing a decrease in gas tax dollars flowing in, suddenly we have another source of emissions which would require another tax.
I can’t help but feel that at least on some level this will be a money grab - even if the underlying study is confirmed long-term.
>the gas tax was created because exhaust fumes were damaging the environment and reducing air quality
Do you have a source for this? Everything I have read states that gas taxes were first enacted to finance road construction (thereby leading to more exhaust fumes), and gas taxes in place today often dedicate the majority if not all of their funds to road building.
I think the downvotes are about the misinformation, not the questioning!
I would also point out that gas taxes do not fully fund road infrastructure, and typically cover only about half the cost, meaning that road infrastructure is heavily subsidized by other taxes. (Which if course should be the case for infrastructure, but a lot of car advocates mistakenly believe that they are pulling their own weight with gas taxes.)
As an aside, I treasure the moments when I get downvoted in HN; it's good to at least be thinking differently enough to cause a negative reaction a small amount of the time, IMHO.
The problem I have with this is that the gas tax was [Edit: this is apparently not true, as was pointed out below] created because exhaust fumes were damaging the environment and reducing air quality - and I agree with that. But now that we have made significant strides towards reducing emissions - both in the way of more efficient vehicles and battery-operated vehicles - causing a decrease in gas tax dollars flowing in, suddenly we have another source of emissions which would require another tax.
I can’t help but feel that at least on some level this will be a money grab - even if the underlying study is confirmed long-term.