The Biden administration and his liberal allies have been moving at warp speed to impose their radical agenda on the American people. From banning gas cars and gas stoves to adopting race-based DEI programs in our schools, proposals that would have seemed preposterous just 5 years ago have now become mainstream positions within the Democrat party.
Nothing appears to be off limits, and that even includes our ability to travel in our automobiles without having the government monitor, limit, and tax our vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Throughout the country there are efforts by government bureaucrats and climate change zealots to adopt these authoritarian VMT tax schemes, all motivated to eliminate carbon emissions and create a new revenue stream for expensive and rarely used transit projects.
For instance, tucked in the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Biden administration was a pilot program for a VMT tax that would monitor the miles traveled in your vehicle while charging you a fee for any miles you do travel. And if you’re driving a gas-powered car, buckle up because now you’ll get to pay two taxes. That’s right. The gas tax certainly won’t be going away. If VMT taxes are implemented, they will be in addition to—not in replacement of—gas taxes.
San Diego has also been exploring a vehicle miles tax for a while now, proposing a plan in 2021 that would have charged motorists 4 cents per mile to pay for expanded bus service and rail in the region. Liberal politicians were gushing over the proposal, and even liked the idea of charging extra to high-income households or on large vehicles they deemed to be not “eco-friendly.” The plan was finally shelved late last year thanks to resounding opposition from citizens.
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Tracking, limiting, and taxing our vehicle miles traveled is a dream scenario for those pushing a radical environmental agenda. With VMT taxes, they get to track your miles, take away your privacy, force you out of your car, and limit your freedom all while charging you a fee to do so. That punishment is bad enough for daily commuters, but can you imagine living in rural areas that have to travel greater distances for work and other necessities? It’s almost as if this is part of a bigger agenda to bring about 15-minute cities.
That’s exactly why the Arizona Free Enterprise Club is working to put the Freedom to Move Act on the ballot this November.
This proposed measure is the first of its kind in the nation. As a constitutional amendment, it would prohibit the state, cities, towns, and counties from imposing a Vehicle Miles Traveled tax and limiting or monitoring vehicle miles traveled by an individual—whether they are using a gas-powered car or an EV. And while EV owners certainly need to pay for the roads too, taxing individuals by the mile is no way to address this issue. There are more practical solutions to make sure that EV owners pay for the roads that are far less draconian and don’t result in owners of gas cars paying both a gas tax and a VMT tax.
In the meantime, VMT taxes are a real threat right now. Allowing the government to track our miles will have devastating impacts on our privacy rights. And VMT taxes will punish any form of driving all while promoting a radical environmental and social agenda.
It’s time for Arizona lawmakers to bring this issue before the people. Amid inflated prices and a still struggling national economy, our state’s citizens can’t afford another outrageous tax. And they certainly don’t deserve to live in fear of being taxed, tracked, or limited in the miles they can travel. Let’s allow the voters to say no to this radical agenda. Let’s allow them to protect their freedom to move.
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