SALT LAKE CITY — As more and more Utahns buy fuel-efficient and electric vehicles, it is having an impact on how the legislature pays for road repairs.
The gas tax — a state tax on every gallon of gas — has typically been earmarked for roads. But with more fuel-efficient or zero-fossil-fuel vehicles on the roads, it is having a budgetary impact. Potholes still have to be filled, and political leaders acknowledge they can't keep expanding freeways.
The Utah Taxpayers Association recently raised eyebrows on Utah's Capitol Hill when it endorsed the concept of "congestion pricing."
"It's a way to ensure that those who are using the roads are paying for the roads," said Billy Hesterman, the association's president.
Congestion pricing has been rolled out in New York City, where prices to cross bridges and tolls on some roads increase based on the amount of traffic. Hesterman believes it should be considered for the I-15 corridor along the Wasatch Front.
"The idea is what we see in New York. You get closer to rush hour, it's more expensive to use the freeway,and then it would drive consumers of the road to change their behavior so that we're stretching out," he told FOX 13 News. "We have capacity on the roads from say, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Let's see if we can push more of the cars during that time period because it's so expensive to drive during rush hour. That way we're utilizing those roads at full capacity instead of having it only for four or five hours a day where we're really utilizing how heavy those roads are."
It's difficult to see the Republican-supermajority Utah State Legislature copying any idea from New York City but Hesterman said it is something that should be looked at.
"A good idea, whether it's red or blue, still is a good idea," he said. "We should at least consider it and see how we can make it a Utah idea."
Utah currently has a version of congestion pricing for its HOV lanes on I-15 that charges more or less depending on the time of day and traffic conditions. Toll roads in the Cottonwood canyons will also be implemented in the coming years to address congestion there. Utah's Department of Transportation said beyond that, it has no plans to explore congestion pricing.
Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, said congestion pricing "would have some stiff opposition" in the Utah State Legislature.
But in an interview with FOX 13 News, Sen. Harper had his own proposal — to drop the state portion of the gas tax and replace it with a "vehicle mile traveled" rate. Utah is already piloting the concept with full-electric vehicles (which do not pay a gas tax) where they report their odometer to the state and pay a fee for it.
"Among your electric vehicle operators, it seems to be going very good," Sen. Harper said. "We're looking to roll that out to the rest of the public and say, instead of a gas tax collected at the pump, pay and report your miles monthly or annually."
Sen. Harper said he believes it could also reduce road congestion because people would consolidate trips and be more conscious of where they go.
"I think that will reduce the congestion better than saying we're just going to put this extra fee on everybody," he said, adding: "A VMT or something like that is a more equitable way to pay for use and make sure that those potholes are filled."
On social media, FOX 13 News asked drivers their thoughts on either congestion pricing or vehicle miles traveled and heard plenty of opinions.
"I would personally love it because I rarely drive. Hopefully this would encourage people to take more mass transit," wrote Amy.
Mary worried about being taxed for out-of-state travel.
"I often am leaving the state and driving 1000 miles in my vehicle," she wrote. "I should not have to pay Utah taxes on mileage I am doing in other states."
But Allesandro replied: "Yes. Drive more, pay more."
Dalene worried that people who can't afford to live close to where they work would be hit hardest.
"Also, we are surveilled and tracked too much already. No one wants their mileage tracked too," she wrote.
To address privacy concerns raised when the state began implementing the vehicle miles traveled for EVs, Sen. Harper said he would not propose to track where people drive. Instead, he envisioned a third-party vendor or having the vehicle owner report their odometer annually when they register their vehicle.
On congestion pricing? Lex replied: "We are not NYC. We don't need or want this. We shouldn't be punished because we're buying more fuel efficient vehicles."
Luis summed up his feelings writing to FOX 13 News: "Stop turning everything into a 'subscription.'"
The EV pilot program on vehicle miles traveled is still being evaluated, Sen. Harper said, but if the legislature does support an expansion, it would not be considered until 2028 at the earliest. Sen. Harper added that the Utah State Legislature must also invest more in mass transit as the state's population grows and roads are relied on more.