Obama, transport sec LaHood clash over road use charge

US transportation secretary Ray LaHood told an AP reporter Thursday that the country can't count on gasoline/diesel taxes to raise money for roads, adding: "We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled."

But Friday White House press secretary Robert Gibbs when asked about a vehicle-miles charge contradicted LaHood saying: "It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration."

"So was Secretary LaHood speaking out of turn here?" an AP reporter asked.

"I would direct you to Secretary LaHood on that," White House spokesman Gibbs said.

The AP reporter responded: "We actually interviewed him."

"Well, call him back," Gibbs said, suggesting the transportation secretary had been pulled back into line and was now opposing a road use or vehicle miles charge.

Financing Commission

LaHood has been briefed on the recommendations of a bipartisan National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission which is thought likely to be making a transition to a vehicle-miles charge the centerpiece of its proposals.

The Financing Commission is likely to propose an interim increase in fuel taxes of 10c/gallon for gasoline and 15c/gallon for diesel.

LaHood opposes fuel tax increases, he told AP.

The Commission will go public with its report next Thursday.

see http://financecommission.dot.gov/

TOLLROADSnews 2009-02-20