California drivers could be just a few years away from having “black boxes” in their cars tracking their travel and taxing them for every mile driven. Senate Bill 1077 is by Assemblyman Mark DeSaulnier, D-Concord, and would require a mileage tax pilot program to start up by 2016. It recently passed the Assembly Transportation Committee.
Proponents argue that a mileage tax is needed because California motorists are using less gas than in the past because cars are more fuel efficient, reducing much-needed revenue from the 36-cents-per-gallon fuel excise tax. Opponents are concerned about the potential loss of privacy when governmental agencies track Californians’ travel.
Aware of that concern, SB1077 requires a 15-person task force to implement a mileage tax pilot program that takes into consideration “the necessity of protecting all personally identifiable information used in reporting highway use,” according to the committee’s legislative analysis.