California Lawmakers Push New Mileage Tax—But Only for Gasoline Vehicles
California is once again stirring national outrage among drivers, as new reports suggest lawmakers are preparing to introduce a mileage tax targeting only gasoline-powered vehicles.
According to TK’s Garage, the proposed bill would apply a per-mile fee to new gas vehicles, while electric vehicles (EVs)—the group the original road-use tax was supposed to target—would be completely exempt.
“The whole point of the mileage tax was to make EVs pay their fair share for road maintenance,” TK explained. “Now they’re flipping it to punish people who still choose gas-powered cars.”
This latest proposal follows the controversial real-estate mileage tax California quietly passed earlier this year, adding costs to new housing projects under the guise of climate impact mitigation. Critics warn this new legislation could price even more people out of the state’s already strained middle class.
If enacted, the law would:
- Add thousands of dollars annually to operating costs for new gas vehicles.
- Exclude EVs entirely from the tax, creating an incentive to abandon internal combustion.
- Funnel revenue toward California’s struggling EV infrastructure programs and high-speed rail projects.
TK argued the plan is less about fairness and more about coercion:
“They’ve run out of federal money, EPA grants are drying up, and now they’re clawing back cash any way they can. This isn’t environmental policy—it’s financial desperation.”
He warned that after successfully sneaking the first mileage-based fee through the legislature, there’s a real chance this new proposal passes, given California’s political makeup and financial pressure from federal clawbacks.
TK concluded by calling the move “another step toward weaponizing taxes against car enthusiasts and working families,” urging viewers to stay informed as the bill heads toward committee discussion.
