Suzette Martinez Valladares | VMT: Very Massive Tax on Families |
Californians don’t need another study to tell us that life here is becoming unaffordable. We already feel it every day. Our state has the highest cost of living in the nation, the highest taxes, and some of the most expensive housing anywhere.
For millions of working and middle-class families, California isn’t just expensive — it’s becoming unsustainable.
And now, Sacramento wants to “study” a massive new commuter tax that would punish people simply for going to work.
Assembly Bill 1421 proposes a study of a vehicle miles traveled tax — charging Californians based on how far they drive.
It’s a bad idea, and it’s coming at the worst possible time.
Supporters describe the proposal as charging only “fractions of a penny per mile.” But even at those seemingly small rates, the costs add up quickly.
A family driving 20,000 miles a year — common for commuters and working households — could be hit with hundreds of dollars in new annual taxes. And that would come on top of already record-high gas taxes, vehicle registration fees, tolls, and some of the highest fuel prices in the nation.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, when California’s high living costs are factored in, our state has the highest........