Gov. Baker Looks Toward California and Oregon While Vetoing Mileage Fee Pilot Program

A bill to provide $750 million in road and bridge financing was signed by Mass. Gov. Charlie Baker on Wednesday after stripping a provision to apply for a federal grant to conduct a pilot program similar to the California Road Charge Pilot.

2 minute read

August 12, 2016, 10:00 AM PDT

By Irvin Dawid


Los Angeles Harbor Freeway

biofriendly / Flickr

"The Massachusetts Legislature sent Baker a road and bridge funding bill with a provision directing the administration to apply for federal funding to test a new tax on drivers based on miles traveled," reported Shira Schoenberg for The Republic/Mass.Live. "Baker signed the bill on Wednesday, but, as expected, vetoed the pilot program."

"There's disappointment, because all it is is a request for a grant so that we can pilot as was done in Oregon, to see how it would work in Massachusetts and whether we thought it would be a good policy here," said Senate President Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, in a July 31 article by Schoenberg which indicated the governor's likely veto. "So we're leaving federal money on the table."

"Baker said the gas tax structure is fair because it rewards people who drive more fuel-efficient cars," adds Schoenberg. "He noted that people generally drive more when gas is cheaper."

Both observations are true, and should encourage leaders to increase the gas tax to ensure proper funding for road infrastructure. However, to illustrate how difficult that can be, Massachusetts voters supported a statewide petition in 2014 that eliminated "the automatic, annual indexing of the 26.5-cent gasoline excise tax to inflation."

A vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee ensures that fuel-efficient and electric vehicles pay their fair share for roads regardless of the price of gas.

"Baker said he thinks Massachusetts can learn from the experiences of those states without running its own pilot program," adds Schoenberg. "He said transportation officials in Massachusetts have other priorities."

"Let's see what we can learn from the folks who are doing this in other states," Baker said.

Those would include Massachusetts' two neighbors, Connecticut and New Hampshire, which joined the I-95 Corridor Coalition to apply for the grant from the same federal program that the bill targeted. It also includes Pennsylvania, which has the nation's highest gas tax, almost double that of Massachusetts.

The article goes into additional reasons for Baker's opposition to a VMT fee, which the bill would not have imposed. Even the 5,000 participants in the California program do not receive "real" bills; they are simulated. But since the governor is so strongly opposed to the concept of a mileage fee, why study it, even if it wouldn't cost the state any funds?

An earlier editorial in The Republican urged Baker to veto the pilot program provision.

No doubt this is a setback to those in the Mileage-Based User Fee Alliance. However, it should also prove encouraging for those who believe raising the gas tax is the best way to increase transportation funding.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016 in The Republican

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Washington

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing

A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

May 1 - Streetsblog USA

Bluebird sitting on branch of green bush.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire

Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

May 1 - AP News

1984 Olympics

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles

LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.

May 1 - Newsweek

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.