Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was ridiculed on social media on Friday for expressing openness to a policy that would pay for President Joe Biden’s massive infrastructure budget by taxing motorists for each mile they drive.
“So, I think that shows a lot promise,” Buttigieg said regarding a mileage-based tax during an interview with CNBC. “If we believe in that so-called ‘user-pays principle,’ the idea that part of how we pay for roads is you pay based on how much you drive. The gas tax used to be the obvious way to do that; it’s not anymore.”
“So, a so-called ‘vehicle-miles-traveled tax’ or ‘mileage tax,’ whatever you want to call it, could be a way to do it,” Buttigieg added.
WATCH:
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says taxing drivers by the mile “shows a lot of promise” and could be a way to fund a big infrastructure overhaul. pic.twitter.com/fkI5nWt7sr
— The Recount (@therecount) March 26, 2021
Many pundits took to social media to blast Buttigieg for floating such an idea, which many claimed would be a further burden on the poor.
“Truly brilliant way to completely screw over lower income and middle class Americans! And every single person living in a rural area who has to drive far to get places! Just brilliant Pete, truly,” wrote “The View” cohost Meghan McCain.
Truly brilliant way to completely screw over lower income and middle class Americans!
And every single person living in a rural area who has to drive far to get places! Just brilliant Pete, truly. https://t.co/z4IgJ8Nly5
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) March 26, 2021
“Pete Buttigieg is what happens when you put white, upper class Millennial residents of college towns in charge,” tweeted The Daily Wire’s Emily Zanotti. “I bet he writes strongly worded posts on Nextdoor when someone parks their Prius in his bike lane[.]”
Pete Buttigieg is what happens when you put white, upper class Millennial residents of college towns in charge. I bet he writes strongly worded posts on Nextdoor when someone parks their Prius in his bike lane https://t.co/UGDGrQ7CUt
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) March 26, 2021
“Here comes a new tax that will hit the poor and middle class the hardest. Joe Biden’s Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg says the Biden administration is considering taxing drivers for every mile they drive to fund their big spending,” wrote congressional candidate Robby Starbuck.
Here comes a new tax that will hit the poor and middle class the hardest. Joe Biden’s Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg says the Biden administration is considering taxing drivers for every mile they drive to fund their big spending. pic.twitter.com/TrAPRxljl9
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) March 26, 2021
“Once again, Biden & Secretary ‘Pete’ hurting the poor and middle class most with ‘miles travelled’ tax,” said Fox News host Laura Ingraham.
Once again, Biden & Secretary “Pete” hurting the poor and middle class most with “miles travelled” tax. https://t.co/ykrQnuztZV
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) March 26, 2021
Journalist Ryan James Girdusky offered Buttigieg’s tax idea as a great plan for “how to screw over the working class.”
“Step 1) Make cities unaffordable for working-class people so they have to move to suburbs and exurbs,” Girdusky wrote. “Step 2) tax people for every mile they have to drive to and from work or to see specialists in cities[.]”
How to screw over the working class:
Step 1) Make cities unaffordable for working-class people so they have to move to suburbs and exurbs
Step 2) tax people for every mile they have to drive to and from work or to see specialists in cities https://t.co/gwY2ivwPmm
— Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) March 26, 2021
“This sounds like something made up by Fox News in order to paint Democrats as out-of-touch elitists,” tweeted “Minority Report” co-host Emma Vigeland. “What awful instincts lol[.]”
This sounds like something made up by Fox News in order to paint Democrats as out-of-touch elitists. What awful instincts lol https://t.co/rTTay4rZrr
— Emma Vigeland (@EmmaVigeland) March 26, 2021
“This is what you get when you nominate a guy because he really likes trains,” wrote Richochet editor Bethany S. Mandel.
This is what you get when you nominate a guy because he really likes trains. https://t.co/ouWmzDhKuC
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) March 26, 2021
Buttigieg recently testified on Capitol Hill that the country’s infrastructure needs top $1 trillion. The Biden administration is preparing a $3-4 trillion spending package that includes infrastructure funding and other priorities.
As The Daily Wire reported:
In his testimony to the committee on Thursday, Secretary Buttigieg said that there is opportunity at this current moment in time to provide funding for infrastructure needs. In written remarks, Buttigieg said, “I believe we have – at this moment – the best chance in any of our lifetimes to make a generational investment in infrastructure that will help us meet our country’s most pressing challenges today and create a stronger future for decades to come.”
Related: Buttigieg Warns American Infrastructure Needs ‘Trillions’ In Funding In First Hearing