California governor candidate Xavier Becerra keeps mileage tax on the table
The gist
Democratic governor candidate Xavier Becerra said a vehicle-miles-traveled tax should be "on the table" in California.
The remark revived a long-studied road-charge idea days before Election Day.
How it unfolded
- Sep 2021Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 339, authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener, directing California to test collecting road charges based on actual mileage as gas-tax revenue declines.
- Aug 2024 to Jan 2025Caltrans ran a six-month pilot with 800 participants testing four ways of reporting mileage, from GPS-equipped tracking devices to photographing the odometer; drivers got monthly bills but were credited or refunded for gas taxes or the EV Road Improvement Fee already paid.
- Feb 2026Democratic Assemblywoman Lori Wilson spoke about her proposal to study a potential mileage-based fee system; she said AB 1421 continues a study bill enacted in 2014. The Assembly approved AB 1421, which directs the California Transportation Commission to consolidate information and report to the Legislature by Jan. 1, 2027.