California’s experiment with a mileage-based tax is nearing its conclusion, but a leading Republican lawmaker says the results could pave the way for Democrats to impose another cost on drivers.
Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, told the California Post that Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra and Democratic legislators appear eager to bill motorists for every mile they drive. He warned the system could rely on annual odometer readings and be added to existing gas and vehicle taxes.
“They’re proposing a mileage tax for everyone, but they haven’t suggested eliminating the gas taxes or car taxes already in place,” DeMaio told the California Post.
Becerra revived the issue in an October interview with KCRA, saying “everything should be on the table” when asked whether he would support a mileage-based charge to help fund California’s roads.
He said electric vehicle owners should contribute to the upkeep of the transportation system because they do not pay gasoline taxes, despite using the same infrastructure.
His campaign later rejected claims that he had formally endorsed a mileage tax.
“Secretary Becerra has not proposed a mileage tax,” campaign spokesman Jonathan Underland previously told The Post.
Representatives for Gov.-elect Becerra did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday.
DeMaio said the possibility of charging drivers by the mile should concern Californians already facing high living costs. He especially pointed to commuters who live far from their workplaces because homes near job centers are out of reach financially.
The San Diego lawmaker said Becerra’s comments went beyond simply keeping the proposal under consideration.
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“He said, ‘everything’s on the table,’ and then began making the case for it,” DeMaio said. “He was literally arguing in favor of a mileage tax.”
DeMaio added that Democrats “just want more money.”
“This has all been plotted and planned,” DeMaio said.
“Democrats know there are older vehicles on the road whose mileage cannot be monitored electronically. So what’s the alternative? You’ll have to bring your car in every year for a smog inspection or an odometer reading, and that figure will determine what you owe.”
Under a rate of 6 cents per mile, someone driving 15,000 miles a year would face a charge of at least $900 before any credits or reductions, DeMaio said.
The Republican cited a dispute in San Diego County, where the San Diego Association of Governments approved a regional transportation plan in December 2021 that contemplated charging motorists according to the number of miles they traveled.
After residents pushed back, the agency’s board instructed staff in September 2022 to draft a revision removing the proposed fee. The amended plan was formally approved in fall 2023.
California lawmakers are now waiting for findings from a statewide road-charge pilot program conducted from August 2024 through January 2025.
The trial examined several methods for measuring travel, including photographs of odometers, connected-car technology and plug-in devices operating with or without GPS. Caltrans said participants’ personal data would be safeguarded and destroyed once the study concluded. The final report is expected by the end of the year.
Officials with the California Department of Transportation did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment.
