Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Thursday proposed that motorists be taxed on how many miles they drive to help pay for fixing and building roads and bridges, but President Obama quickly knocked the idea down.

Smart move, Mr. President, because 73% of Americans oppose a mileage tax, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Just 18% favor taxing drivers based on how many miles they drive to help fund the building and repair of roads and bridges. Ten percent (10%) are undecided.

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Taxes on gasoline sales have long been the source of funding for infrastructure construction, but LaHood told the Associated Press that this money is no longer sufficient. “We should look at the vehicular miles program where people are actually clocked on the number of miles that they traveled," he said.

Several states are exploring the idea, based on the argument that the motorists who use the roads the most should pay the most for their upkeep and for new construction.

Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Republicans and 75% of those not affiliated with either major political party oppose a mileage tax, as do 58% of Democrats.

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of men and 69% of women think it’s a bad idea, too.

Americans by an equally sizable majority opposed a proposal two years ago to substantially increase national gas taxes.

Last summer when gas prices were soaring, most Americans said high gas prices were the biggest threat to the U.S. economy. Prices at the pump have dropped dramatically since then.

According to the Associated Press report, a high-level government panel is expected to propose a mileage tax in its upcoming report, despite motorist concerns about the cost and the privacy issues it raises.

But as Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said of LaHood’s proposal on Friday, "It is not and will not be the policy of the Obama administration.”

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