The long, long road to taxing mileage in Mass.
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Lawmakers are looking for the state to get closer to its climate-friendly emissions goal by targeting how many miles residents drive.
Why it matters: Transportation accounts for 37% of all Massachusetts emissions, yet the state consistently trails behind its own goals to reduce greenhouse gases.
- Factoring miles driven into state policy — and possibly taxing them down the road — would be a sea change in the way Bay Staters move around the commonwealth.
Driving the news: A bill in the Legislature would explore ways to reduce vehicle miles and meet climate objectives by urging residents to drive less and use transit more.
Between the lines: The "Freedom to Move Act" just takes the first step toward establishing a policy governing vehicle miles traveled.
- It would establish an interagency council to develop strategies to reduce car dependency and enhance biking, walking infrastructure and public transit.
- The measure would be part of the state's mandate to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
- Eventually, the bill says the state "may facilitate reductions in vehicle miles traveled."
Bill sponsors emphasize that the legislation only creates planning frameworks for reducing carbon emissions, not new prohibitions.
- Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem said the bill "doesn't impose restrictions on how much Massachusetts residents can drive," but focuses on expanding other options.
The other side: Opponents are concerned about government overreach and economic impact.
What they're saying: Tracking mileage would be "behavioral control disguised as environmental policy," Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance executive director Paul Craney told the Herald.
- Conservatives worry about potential restrictions on mobility for individuals and businesses if mileage becomes a factor.
Rural legislators are worried such a policy would have unequal impacts on communities that require longer drives to work and services.
- Senate energy committee chair Michael Barrett expressed concern over a "subtle bias against rural Massachusetts" during a legislative hearing.
The bottom line: It's early days yet, but if the bill advances, it would put mileage measurements in play on Beacon Hill for the first time.
- It would take years of public debate before any restrictions could be put in place, but the idea itself would be on the table.