The Obama administration wants to spend $556 billion over the next six years on transportation projects, but they may have to get creative to pay for them. One "practical option" could be taxing drivers based on their mileage, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is reporting.

The above is reported on a CBS site. It's a very stupid idea by the Congressional Budget Office and fortunately the president so far is opposed to it.Actually, we already pay a tax on the number of miles we drive. Every time we put gasoline into our cars, we pay an enormous amount of tax.According to gaspricewatch.com, Pennsylvanians pay 31.1 cents per gallon in state taxes and 18.4 cents per gallon in federal taxes, or a whopping total of 49.5 cents a gallon.Where's all that money going?The Web site says only Wisconsin and New York have higher state taxes for gasoline.A mileage tax would hurt the working man most. Those commuting would end up paying an even more disproportionate share.Would lawmakers be subject to this tax?Hopefully federal and state lawmakers nix this concept.Each time we renew our license registrations, we must report our mileage. The purpose, it was always said, was to keep an honest posting on mileage in case of the resale of our vehicles.This is the only use the report of mileage should have.What's next? Having insurance companies charge us on a per mile basis? Already people who commute to work pay more car insurance than those who work close to home.Don't penalize the working class, which is exactly what per mileage costs do - whether it is additional taxes or insurance.The only way our free enterprise system will survive is for the government to ease up on the excessive burden of unnecessary and unfair taxation.By Ron Gowerrgower@tnonline.com