If the Gas Tax Wasn’t Enough, the Congestion Tax is on the Way

California politicians want drivers off the roads and out of their cars. What is their primary tactic? Quite simply, to make driving as unbearable as possible.

Politicians are actively targeting daily commuters to diminish their ability to drive effectively. These attacks are coordinated towards highlighting and exacerbating the two significant drawbacks of driving in San Diego: traffic and expense.

While the rhetoric of an “attack” on drivers may come off as an overstatement, between the “Gas Tax,” raids on road repair funds, and now a newly proposed “Congestion Tax,” politicians are simultaneously taking money from drivers while impeding their ability to get to work, pick up their kids, and many other day-to-day tasks that necessitate commuting.

The worst part about these new taxes is that the revenue isn’t even going to improve roads for the very people who are being taxed so egregiously.

Rather than enticing people to use Public Transit by adding attractive amenities and incentives, California politicians are resorting to disingenuous social engineering and taxation to force us out of our cars.

San Diego County’s Regional Transportation Planning agency, SANDAG, released a plan to cut 14 freeway and highway improvements. Where exactly will the funds for all of these road repairs and improvements go? Directly down the endless money pit that is Public Transit.

In addition to the ‘raided’ road repair money, SANDAG and it’s subsidiary MTS proposed not only another hike in sales taxes, but the adaptation of the ‘congestion tax’ to fund transit for downtown San Diego.

Irresponsible California politicians have made it clear that they are only interested in a future that relies heavily on inconvenient and costly public transit, and they are more than happy to bully the public into an agreement.

Now more than ever is the time for San Diegans to contact their representatives and let them know what they think about this literal highway robbery.

 

Photo by Derek Story