I was disappointed last month when the Assembly passed AB 1421 (Wilson) over strong bipartisan objections. This legislation sets the stage for a new per-mile tax on drivers across our state — a move I opposed for its potential burden on everyday Californians without adequate safeguards.
Advocates for AB 1421 downplay the risks, insisting it’s merely a directive to “study” the contours of a mileage-based fee or road user charge. Indeed, the bill’s language focuses on preparing research and recommendations for such a system. But let’s be candid: In Sacramento, we don’t commission studies on policies we have no intention of pursuing. This “study” is a thinly veiled precursor to implementation, and it demands scrutiny.
What concerns me most is the rush to explore this without ironclad protections for taxpayers. That’s why I joined my colleagues in pushing ACA 12 (Wallis). This proposed constitutional amendment would mandate a two-thirds vote threshold for any state or local mileage tax, ensuring broad consensus. It would also ban “double taxation” by exempting drivers who already contribute through the gas tax. Regrettably, the supermajority in Sacramento rejected it on the floor, sidelining these essential guardrails.
To gauge public sentiment, I recently surveyed hundreds of constituents in my district. The results were unequivocal: A staggering 96% opposed any per-mile tax lacking protections against double taxation. Even if the gas tax were entirely eliminated, more than 67% would still reject a mileage-based system. However, support shifted modestly when the tax was framed as applying solely to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), which currently evade the gas tax: 49% favored it, while about 40% opposed.
This nuance reveals a core inequity. Drivers of traditional gas-powered vehicles bear a disproportionate share of funding our roads through fuel taxes, whereas ZEV owners pay only a marginally higher registration fee. As electric vehicles proliferate — encouraged by state incentives — this imbalance will only worsen, eroding the revenue base for infrastructure maintenance.
Yet AB 1421 fails to confine the tax to ZEVs. Instead, it opens the door to a blanket levy that ignores the realities faced by low-income and rural residents. Many in these communities commute longer distances to work, school, or essential services, meaning they’d shoulder a heavier load under a miles-traveled model. Compounding this, serious privacy issues loom: Accurately tracking every mile driven could invite intrusive surveillance, eroding personal freedoms without clear data protections.
Make no mistake, our roads desperately need investment. California ranks a dismal 46th nationally in road quality, despite imposing the highest gas taxes in the country. As a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee, I’ve consistently fought against diverting these revenues to non-transportation uses. We must prioritize fixing potholes, streets, and highways with existing funds before inventing new taxes.
Imposing a mileage tax without robust taxpayer safeguards isn’t progress; it’s a regressive hit on those least able to afford it. In a state already grappling with sky-high living costs, from housing to groceries, this would further strain hardworking families, commuters, and small businesses.
As lawmakers, we owe Californians better: a transparent, equitable solution that rebuilds our infrastructure without punishing drivers. Let’s demand accountability and reject half-measures like AB 1421. Our roads and our residents deserve no less.
Assemblyman Josh Hoover is a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee and represents the 7th Assembly District in Sacramento County, which includes the cities of Citrus Heights, Folsom, and Rancho Cordova and the unincorporated communities of Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Foothill Farms, Gold River, Mather, McClellan Park, North Highlands, Orangevale, and Rosemont. You can follow him on X @joshua_hoover or contact his office atAssemblymember.Hoover@assembly.ca.gov.
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