Freedom To Move Act Aims To Reduce Car Use
Car buyers from across the U.S. are continually dealing with higher prices, regardless of what financial bracket they fall into. Cheap used cars are hard to come by, and the average new car price has continued to increase – thanks, in part, to new tariff policies. But for residents of one state, the cost of car ownership may be far greater than the mere purchase price. CBS News reports that Massachusetts may soon track how much you drive and charge accordingly if the new Freedom To Move Act is passed, and it’s causing quite the controversy.
Supporters And Critics Of The Bill Weigh In
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The bill is currently under discussion at the Massachusetts State House, where critics of the new law say it is about control and limiting transportation. Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance executive director Paul Craney says that the bill is trying to “put mechanisms in place to limit mobility,” but Democrat Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Creem says otherwise: “This bill does not do that. This bill doesn’t impose restrictions on how much Massachusetts residents can drive nor where they can drive. It doesn’t include fines, penalties, taxes on personal vehicle use and it was never the intent of myself or any of the advocates to put a strain on a person’s individual liberties.” Instead, she says, the goal of the bill is to give more walking, cycling, or train options for those in areas that don’t have them in an effort to get more cars and trucks off the road.
Creem says that “it’s not about telling people what to do,” and that this “is not big brother watching you,” but Craney argues that this is just the beginning. “We can all kind of figure out where this is going,” he said. The bill has not yet reached a committee and is likely to undergo several edits, so it will still be years before anything therein is enacted.
Why The Bill Was Proposed
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A dollar figure per mile has not yet been floated, but whatever it is, the extra cost to residents needs to be justified. In 2021, Massachusetts passed a law requiring the state to reach zero emissions by 2050, and as Craney concedes, “it’s not a goal. It’s not wishful thinking. It is actually a law.” To meet that zero-emissions target will require radical change, and advocates of the new bill say that this is just one way the state can get there.
But the path will not be straight. Owners of businesses, especially smaller ones, may have to face higher transport costs that they simply cannot avoid, while others are concerned about their data being stored and what that might mean in terms of government overreach. As valid as those points are, the state needs to find a way to meet the requirements of its own law. Furthermore, it’s worth pointing out that Massachusetts is home to the city where drivers are most likely to experience a collision, Boston, so perhaps quieter streets could have a positive impact on more than just air quality.