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Vargas supports the Mileage Tax

Cipriano Vargas supports per-mile tax that would apply to you and your family, costing you more than $1,172.00 each year.

The tax, proposed to begin in 2030 would consist of a 3.3 cent, per-mile tax levied by the San Diego Association of Governments, known as SANDAG. Vista’s Mayor is a voting member of the SANDAG Board of Directors and has direct input on this policy.

Proposed in the 2021 Regional Plan, adopted by the SANDAG Board of Directors, Cipriano Vargas’ boss, County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer voted in favor of the tax. Recently, Vargas attacked John Franklin for opposing the tax.

Cipriano Vargas not only works for Lawson-Remer, they have known each other for years and are friends. Vargas has stated on multiple occasions that he is proud to work for Lawson-Remer and has not once diverged from any of her positions.

Breakdown of SANDAG vote that shows that the County of San Diego Representative (County A) voted in favor. The 2021 Regional Plan contained the mileage tax
Cipriano Vargas’ boss, Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, is the County representative on SANDAG

The San Diego Union Tribune reports that “The San Diego agency [SANDAG] expects the state to levy a tax on drivers of roughly 2 cents a mile”
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/transportation/story/2021-06-19/sandag-road-charge

The 3.3 cent tax levied locally and the 2 cent charge potentially levied by the State of California means the per-mile charge could be as high as 5.3 cents per mile. The United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration said that the average driver traveled 12,724 per year. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average number of vehicles per households is 1.9.

12,724 miles x 1.9 drivers x 5.3 cents = $1,281.31 per household, per year

Related News Articles and Sources:

Times of San Diego: Opinion: San Diego Drivers Shouldn’t Be Taxed on the Miles They Drive
https://timesofsandiego.com/opinion/2021/07/29/san-diego-drivers-shouldnt-be-taxed-on-the-miles-they-drive/

NBC 7 San Diego: Another Tax for San Diegans? SANDAG Considers Mileage Tax for Drivers
https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/another-tax-for-san-diegans-sandag-considers-mileage-tax-for-drivers/2685884/

CBS 8 San Diego: SANDAG discusses per-mile road usage tax to fund transit projects in San Diego, timeline to mirror state plan
https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/sandag-board-approves-per-mile-tax/509-a56be85f-d730-42d8-a798-738888509692

San Diego UT: Proposed road use fee ignites fierce debate
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/pomerado-news/opinion/editorial/just-saying/story/2021-11-17/just-sayin-proposed-road-use-fee-ignites-fierce-debate

SANDAG Board of Directors
https://www.sandag.org/index.asp?fuseaction=about.board

SANDAG Regional Plan 2021 includes the 3.3 cent “Road User Fee” Page V-20
In a message written and paid for by Cipriano Vargas, his full-time employer, County Supervisor Terra Lawson Remer attacks Franklin and the Vista Council Majority for opposing their plan. It’s referred to here as their “climate agenda.” Remer and Vargas are falsely equating Franklin and the Vista Council’s opposition to their tax as opposition to the goal of reducing green-house gas emissions, as if the tax on mileage is the only way to achieve reductions. Vargas, as the publisher of this message, approved it.