Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would require owners of new, fuel-efficient cars and trucks to pay a fee for every mile they drive beginning in 2026.
The legislation is intended to help address what transportation officials say is a grim financial reality facing Oregon and other states: Gas taxes are not a sustainable way to pay for highway and street maintenance projects. That problem will only become more worrisome as vehicles become more fuel efficient, they argue. Oregon has estimated its highway fund, of which 40% comes from gas tax revenues, will be insolvent by 2024 without significant action.