SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — State officials are urging the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to adopt the controversial "road usage charge," which opponents have dubbed the "mileage tax."
The strong recommendation came in a letter obtained by ABC 10News, which was sent Aug. 18 from the California Air Resources Board to SANDAG. CARB must ultimately approve SANDAG's Regional Plan, which the group passed in December 2021.
"We were therefore disappointed to learn that at its July 8, 2022 Board meeting, the SANDAG Board voted to direct staff to update the plan to exclude the Road Usage Charge (RUC), which is an important strategy in the plan to both reduce greenhouse gases and fund other greenhouse gas reduction strategies," CARB wrote.
The road usage charge, which would cost drivers more than three cents per mile, was projected to raise money for a portion of the Regional Plan. It illicited a heated public response, with several elected officials expressing opposition.
Ultimately, the charge was included in the Regional Plan; however, SANDAG said it would seek alternative methods to pay for the plan without the RUC.
Supporters of the plan have called it a transformation of transit in San Diego. The $172 billion plan is designed to increase mass transit options, including more buses, rapid routes, train expansion, and the creation of a central transit hub that would connect mass transit to the airport.
Supporters of the RUC also say it is critical to replace gas tax revenues that will dwindle as more Californians make the switch to electric vehicles and more fuel efficient cars.
Opponents say the plan is designed to force people away from driving by making it more expensive without creating adequate alternatives, especially for suburban and rural communities in the North and East County.
County Supervisor Jim Desmond opposes the RUC and is hoping for major changes to the plan.
“Why don’t we work together on a comprehensive regional plan that has public transportation, that has roadworks, that benefits, I think, everybody instead of trying to tax people out of their cars?” he said.
CARB's letter expressed concern that taking the RUC out of the Regional Plan would prevent SANDAG from meeting its climate change goals and would slow the progress on other parts of the plan.
SANDAG sent ABC 10News the response sent to CARB. SANDAG wrote that there is no delay because the RUC remains in the 2021 plan. Therefore, directing its staff to seek alternatives will not prevent SANDAG from moving forward.
SANDAG CEO Hasan Ikhrata wrote, "The development and evaluation of the update poses no risk to the implementation of the current RTP, as the work underway is planning and analytical work and the current plan does not assume an implementation of a RUC until 2030."
Regional Plans are conducted every four years, with elements of previous plans often updated, changed, or eliminated. SANDAG's letter says that because the RUC was not assumed until 2030, they can continue plans for a RUC pilot program while also looking into alternative options to pay for the Regional Plan and meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.
