We're at the end of a thirty-five year free ride. Our infrastructure is falling apart. Funding for roads must go up and the increased taxes should be designed and instituted fairly. The effect of the vehicle on road wear should absolutely figure into the tax levied. The tax on a Subcompact, for instance, should be negligible while the tax on an eighteen wheeler would be considerably higher. I would look for bribes to play a big part in this tax design.

I've not come across any studies, but I'd be surprised if even a nearly 5000 lb. Tesla does significant damage to a road. But not only do heavy trucks do a lot of damage, I also wonder about vehicles weighing as much as a large sedan like a Tesla, but with big, off-road tires. The loud drumming sound they make as the 4x4 or whatever cruises along--where does that come from? Air resonates between the road and the treads, and there is probably a literal drumming on the pavement due to the knobby tread pattern battering it. A car tire is much more smooth. So what is the added wear to the pavement (if any)? I don't know, but I'd love to see that study.

In the sense that it punishes the poor for having to get to work, you would be correct, but you would also seem to be ignoring the fact that, because their cars aren't as fuel efficient to begin with, the poor currently pay a disproportionate share of these taxes now through the fuel tax. In theory, we could finance roads through a fair, progressive income tax that takes into account the real cost of the wealthy for the rest of us, but, like a livable minimum wage, there has to be the will to do that in Congress.

The reality is this. A fifty dollar a year road tax is still cheaper for the poor than an extra 200 dollars a year in tire expenses. It's just where we are.