Critics of Governor Bob McDonnell’s transportation tax package, which would scrap the gas tax in favor of a higher sales tax, have focused on a perverse unintended consequence: Reducing the cost of driving will encourage motorists to drive more, thus making congestion worse.
How much? Here’s what Mark Burris, an associate research engineer with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, told the Virginian-Pilot: If the price of a gallon of gasoline fell 17.5 cents per gallon, the number of miles driven in Virginia might increase by about 1.25%.
— JAB
