California Democrats are seeking to replace missing revenue after they passed an electric car mandate that undermined inflows from a gasoline tax.
While some are pushing a tax-by-the-mile to reclaim the revenue, a backlash from Californians has led to Democrats backing off from the proposal.
‘We already pay the highest gas taxes in the nation. Now Sacramento is talking about adding a new tax for every mile people drive.’
Democrats have known the state would be hit with lower tax revenue since 2023 when an independent legislative analyst released a report saying the mandate would lead to a loss of $5 billion per year by 2035. The gas tax is also affected by increased vehicle gas efficiency.
However, when Republicans in the state raised the alarm about the possibility of a mileage tax, legislative staffers in Sacramento said they were hit with angry calls from voters against it.
The outrage was so strong that Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) was forced to address the controversy.
“Studying a concept is not enacting it,” his press office wrote on social media Wednesday. “Despite national support from prominent *conservatives* like the Cato Institute, there is no mileage tax proposal in California — and the Governor would not sign one.”
Democrats were also hit with angry messages on social media.
RELATED: LA Times gets obliterated online for scolding people wanting to leave high-tax California
“Californians are already getting crushed by the cost of food, housing, power, and gas,” Republican Assembly Leader Heath Flora said. “We already pay the highest gas taxes in the nation. Now Sacramento is talking about adding a new tax for every mile people drive.”
Newsom is widely considered to be trying to expand his national brand recognition in preparation for a possible presidential campaign in 2028.
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