Boxer supports mileage tax

A proposal to tax motorists on the number of miles they drive each year is gathering speed on Capitol Hill, according to McClatchy.

At a hearing last year, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., called the mileage tax a brilliant idea.

Supporters say that a mileage tax would be a more reliable source of funding for the upkeep of the nation's roads and bridges. Opponents say that the last thing people need is a new tax, particularly in the middle of a recession.

Some critics, moreover, fear that it would have a disproportionate impact in states such as California, which has longer-than-average commutes.