The mileage tax was dreadfully unpopular among San Diego County residents.
The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) delivered a decisive 15-4 vote on Friday, effectively sidelining the much-debated Regional Road User Charge (RUC), commonly known as the “mileage tax.” The bipartisan vote removed the tax from SANDAG’s 2025 Regional Plan as well as any future transportation initiatives.
Spearheading the movement to repeal the tax was Oceanside Councilmember Ryan Keim. Flanked by other local leaders, including San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones, El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells, and Del Mar Councilmember Terry Gaasterland, Keim vociferously criticized the RUC as a prime case of government intrusion into the lives of everyday citizens.
“This policy threatened the core principles of American freedom and imposed a disproportionate burden on the majority of our region’s residents,” Mayor Wells eloquently stated. “The notion of being tracked and taxed for every mile one drives is fundamentally contrary to the values that define our great nation,” he further clarified.
Originally conceived as a remedy for dwindling gas tax revenues—amplified by the surge in electric and hybrid vehicle adoption—the RUC was touted to bring in an estimated $34 billion by the year 2050. However, its introduction led to an immediate public backlash, and it notably factored into the resignation of former SANDAG CEO Hasan Ikhrata.
Friday’s public hearing saw an overwhelming majority speak against the mileage tax. Nora Vargas, San Diego Supervisor and SANDAG Board Chair, appeared to lag behind public sentiment. “Today’s action will once again get us on the record that the board agrees that it is not the time for a regional road user charge in the regional plan,” she stated, subtly acknowledging the policy’s evident unpopularity.
Keim’s leadership in eliminating the RUC, along with the cross-party support from board members, represents a victory for those who champion less intrusive government and economic freedom.
