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Around 80% of highway and road repairs are funded by a tax on gasoline charged at the pump when you buy gas. The current gas tax is over 50 cents a gallon, with the average driver paying $280 each year.

Right now, people who drive electric and other fuel-efficient cars contribute less money for road and highway repairs than people who drive less fuel-efficient cars, even though all vehicles cause wear and tear to California’s roadways and contribute to road congestion, according to Caltrans.

To make up for the falling revenue, the state is looking at a program that would charge drivers a fee for each mile they drive.

"Ideally, it’s based on miles driven and not size of the vehicle or make of the vehicle, that is the most equitable feature, is regardless of your experience on the transportation system, we want to make sure we come up with a plan that makes it fair for everybody," said Caltrans spokesman Chris Clark.

How much and how that money would be collected is part of a pilot study in which Caltrans is seeking volunteers to provide feedback.

"With this pilot program, we’ll analyze ways to do that, that range from the pay-at-the-pump system that they are used to, but they’d be paying for miles instead of the gas, but they’d still pay at the pump, or as some insurance companies have already explored, having them pay by the miles that they drive," Clark said.


https://www.kcra.com/article/road-charge-could-replace-california-gas-tax/34726215