AMARILLO, TEXAS -- The Texas Department of Transportation is beginning to explore a vehicle miles driven tax, instead of raising the gasoline tax.
The gas tax hasn't seen an increase since 1991, and now with the highway funds looking slim, officials are trying to find new means, in your pocket.
But how would your miles be collected? The state could place an electronic device on your car to count them, or place readers at gas stations that take your miles between fill ups.
A method hasn't been decided yet, but representative John Smithee says if the government does want to place a device on your car that is an invasion of privacy.
Representative John Smithee said, "There's a real privacy issue here from the standpoint of the government knowing how much you drive and being able to ready your speedometer and it just kind of smacks that big brother label on the system."
Smithee went on to say that the folks in rural areas would be hit the hardest by this tax. The other downside most of the highway money goes to roads in major cities.
