Charging drivers a tax per mile would force rural families to subsidize urban transportation, a central Illinois congressman said.

Illinois Senate Bill 3279 would give Illinois drivers three options to pay road taxes beginning July 2025: Pay a flat rate based on 30,000 miles a year, report miles by reading an odometer or use an electronic location device to track miles.

Republican Congressman Rodney Davis says taxing miles driven rather than a per-gallon gas tax would affect families in his district more than families in urban areas.

However, Davis said ultimately it’s up to state governments.

Democratic Congressman Bill Foster of Naperville said in an email, "This type of legislation would be unnecessary if the federal government altered the unfair funding formulas … that return $89 per Illinoisan each year when each Alaskan gets $609."