You mention tax, but remember we didn't get that passed the last time one came around. There was a 5 cent gas tax proposal around 2006 or so. Gas was cheaper then, so everyone was all, "Oh no that's so pricey". Now it goes up 5 cents and we hardly notice. However, that 5 cents could have meant the world to transportation projects. And what better way to get a use tax than to directly link the usage to the user...the more you drive = the more you tear up the road = the more gas you get = the more you pay = the most desctructive vehicles, ie semi trucks, pay the most.