Hart is part and parcel of the overarching problem in California. He and fellow Democrat's (Marxist's) continue to fleece and tax hard-working Californian's to subsidize their failed policies. It's a vicious cycle that has no end in site made even worse as they look to tax business entities and former resident's who have fled the state. The Democrat Supermajority in Sacramento is running roughshod over the citizenry with no checks and balances. Each bill coming out of the Capitol appears even more extreme than its predecessor. How do these robber Barrons with their destructive, anti-human policies continue to win elections in our fair state? It's a fair question to ask and a topic that requires much more bandwidth to address.
Break up the teacher union lock on California elections. They have the money, power and deep networking. When teachers unions tell you to support something, vote just the opposite.
Look at the funds received that go to mitigate climate crisis I.e. road diets, bulb-outs, widening sidewalks and bike lanes. Wasteful social engineering designed to modify our behavior.
Thank you Bonnie for once again, breaking it down, connecting the dots and exposing the abuse of power by the Democratic Socialists that dominate our state and local government. Where are the other media outlets exposing this outrageous tax on working families? Zip, zero, nada coverage. Kudos to the SB Current for running this story.
Why is it our elected officials need this additional revenue stream? Is it to try to shore up their disastrous budgetary shortfalls from incompetence and fraud? Or is it something more nefarious, like limiting the distance people can travel or knowing when and where we travel?
Clearly, our newly elected Senate President Pro-tem, Monique Limon, is on a sugar high lately, having been elected as the first “Latinx,” to this high office, but where are her priorities? Is it for working families and taxpayers, or is it for illegal immigrants, the homeless, Environmentalists, LGBTQ advocacy, or SEIU Members?
Look at our “Leadership” collectively on this and other issues.
We deserve much better than Limon, Carbajal and Hart.
Limon left SBUSD in shambles, left the Assembly with massive state debt, and now takes marching orders as state senate leader from insider Sacramento interests; not her own constituents. She has proven useful to Sacramento, thus her astonishing rise in political leadership with no credible accomplishments.
Another great story, shocking/ my gosh when will the tax grab ever end! Just back from FL’s ocean-near town of Las Olas where some friends from LA recently moved. Gas was $2.80 per gallon and while they were house hunting they had a super swanky ocean view 3 bedroom for $5k per month including pool and health club fees. You see in this vibrant area they actually build apartments keeping the rents shockingly affordable with a vibrant downtown where, unlike State street, new retail (no not Dollar General), bars, and restaurants are thriving. Now, it is near certain business hubs so the SB comparison is not completely fair but in November if SB-land gets 5 five more years of the same failed policies we will look much more like Portland than Las Olas. Bonnie, THANK YOU!
When will enough be enough? At some point, despite how beautiful California is, it simply won’t be worth living in California. It’s mileage tax today but tomorrow it will be a daily bowel movement tax. The midterms will be the deciding factor in our future as California residents.
This what you get with a one party rule in California. Everybody who owns a gas powered car,a hybrid, diesel trucks will be subsidizing electric vehicles. And there's no guarantee that the money will not be used to fund the bullet train, because federal funding has dried up. Our roads are in terrible shape because of the damage from ev vehicles that weigh way more than conventional vehicles.I see it on the 101,and local roads in Santa Maria. Potholes everywhere.
Greg Hart and Monique Limon along with the ignorance of democratic voters will cost everyone. I'm willing to bet that county and state vehicles will be exempt. This hasn't passed yet,but the environmentalists will be pushing hard for it. I'm looking at moving out of state right now,this is the last straw. To all the environmentalists,why don't you get rid of your EVs and ride a bike to work,or maybe if you live in Santa Inez ride a horse. That's what you want from your constituents . I know that this is an exaggeration,but you have now shown your contempt for voters. Those who voted for you are ignorant of the consequences. You will finally destroy this state.
Whenever you see Greg Hart or Monique Limon,and the county supervisors who voted to shutdown oil production in our county and offshore,and also the environmentalists demand that they give up their vehicles (EVs pollute because electricity is generated from fossil fuels and nuclear over wind and solar). They are hypocrites. Get in their face and peacefully demand answers. They have no accountability for how our taxes are spent.
Here are some facts for you to digest( maybe get indigestion). I looked this up on Google AI. Ev's are typically heavier than ICE vehicles, internal combustion vehicles, adding 300to 1000lbs due to battery weight. Large trucks and SUV's can be thousands of pounds heavier than their gasoline counterparts. A Hyundai Kona EV weighs 850 lbs more than it's counterpart(3758 lbs vs 3053lbs for the gasoline version, a Ford F100 Lightning weighs 2000 lbs vs it's gas counterpart. Hybrids are lighter, but still heavier than ICE cars. So when you have no EV's paying no gas tax to cover the wear and tear on roads and bridges, it's an unfair tax on petroleum powered vehicles, not to mention a forced intent to limit how much people travel, Uber drivers, construction vehicles, delivery ve.hicles and so on. It's not my ignorance, it's your smug attitude, and if you read the bill, you'll have to say that it's one sided. Ask the question on Google the comparison of EV's to ICE vehicles regarding weight. We've had EV's for over a decade without them paying, and why wasn't it thought of to charge a tax or fee at the charging stations? You should look up how much power Diablo Canyon generate, 9% total electricity for the state,17% zero carbon electricity, and 20% of electricity for PG&E. Just looking at these facts just blows your reply away. Call me ignorant, but you have tunnel vision
I have said repeatedly that I think it is unfair that EVs (which I currently drive) do not pay the gas tax. All gas-operated vehicles are giving EVs a free ride. I am for this tax as a gas consumption tax because it makes things fairer. I have also stated that, instead of a purely mileage-based system, I want it to use weight tiers as well.
So yes, you are ignorant. This is what you wrote, "Everybody who owns a gas powered car,a hybrid, diesel trucks will be subsidizing electric vehicles." That is what is currently happening! This bill, as it currently is, does not do that at all. A person driving 10k miles will pay the same regardless if they are in an ICE or Hybrid or EV.
And, seriously, keep showing your ignorance. You are concerned about EV's causing power issues? Are you kidding me? An EV, driving 15k miles per year, uses about the same energy as a hot water heater running 3-4 hours a day.
As of the end of last year, CA hit 2.5mm evs. Let's make this the WORST case scenario to help you. Assuming NONE of the EVs were ever charged by solar power and relied 100% on electricity produced, and all 2.5mm were there on 1/1/2025, they would have used about 10.7 TWh in 2025.
In 2023, CA data centers consumed 10.8 TWh. This is before AI came around. It is expected that by the end of this year, consumption will be between 22 and 25 TWh. Yes, the computers you are using will consume 2x as much energy as EVs by the end of this year. And that is not even taking into account the water they go through.
Now, if you want to get in the weeds, we can, but if you want to talk about the total energy required to produce the gasoline for 2.5mm vehicles getting 22mpg, that is more than it is for the 2.5mm EVs. Now, of course, that is not all electricity, but it is still a lot.
Start by eliminating the mileage reimbursement for Hart and other elected officials and then add an enhanced charge for EV's based on their increased weight negatively impacting our highways.
By the time the Ds are done with the State they will have chased all the productive folks out leaving a crushing debt created by the legislature, government employees and their bloated bureaucracy scheming on another tax increase.
Who owns EVs? Not the poor. Who lives close to their workplace or has the luxury of remote work? Not the workingclass. Those are the folks, the poor and struggling middle class, to get sucked up. And to add to Bonnie's joy: two days ago I received an email invite from SCG to attend a virtual meeting hosted by the CPUC. Introducing the "Neighborhood Decarbonization Program." Sounds downright friendly! I live in a 1956 home heated and run by natural gas: heater, kitchen appliances, laundry. I drive a 16 year old Jeep and 36 year old pickup, both gas-powered and the Silverado now reclassified commercial with the attendant increase in DMV fees -- for an old vehicle. BTW: The rent control lobby ought to be shaking at the thought of converting all Santa Barbara's rental units to electric, increasing housing costs in one of the most expensive regions in the country.
There are currently 33,179 aliens in California’s custody with active detainers. The crimes of these aliens include 399 homicides, 3,313 assaults, 3,171 burglaries, 1,011 robberies, 8,380 dangerous drugs offenses, 1,984 weapons offenses, and 1,293 sexual predatory offenses.
Newsom is ready to release these individuals into the community and ignoring their ICE detainer.
For those who belong to the groups protesting ICE,you have blood on your hands. You're ignorant and hypocritical. Please keep posting your comment. News outlets like Newshawck are afraid to do,that includes the Santa Maria Times
Perhaps someone can explain why the current Federal administration is not sending masked armed ICE agents into the headquarters of companies that employ undocumented workers?
To add to this story. We sell Hydroxy Gas™ generator kits you can add to your ICE engine, gas or diesel and save approx. 25% on fuel costs, for you complete the burn by adding a catalyst to the fuel. CARB out laws our design that should be o all cars, trucks, on US hwys. Do to the threat of losing 25% they hate our products!!! that clean emissions by 85%! Nox by 90%! Invented by a doctor of Aero Space Engineering, we produce (-H -H -O) gas that bonds too, then marries the (+) hydro-carbon chain of molecules and completely blows it all apart, burning all the fuel you purchased! A super clean burn. HydrogenGarage dot calm
I wonder if we are about to see class action civil rights violation litigation and injunctive relief? This most recent scam would place untenable burdens on the poor and other economically challenged in our populace. That is without even going into the economic impact such a "tax" or "fee" would generate. One could see the EV usage contradiction coming ages ago. It was designed as a feature, and is NOT a bug. (Here, get an EV, you will save the planet and money too) Then there is the tax and fee structure surrounding fuel. Then automobile registration rate hikes. Maybe Sacto should just euthanize the public. Might be a more merciful tact. Oh wait.... May be best to not joke about that. Thanks Bonnie, for doing the work that matters.
Bonnie, unfortunately Gregg has been served to much of the Dems Kool-Aid. Rather than look around for cost savings , like eliminating Cal Med for illegals , homeless housing fraud or the Covid scams, they would rather try and tackle themselves out of the mess they have created. Gregg has to go. Cheers
Like with every new proposal with an accompanying tax, we find ourselves debating the merits of the proposal and who will pay the tax. However, what is overlooked in the discussion is whether there are existing expenditures, projects, et al. which are less important, not successful, or have outlived their usefulness so that they can be terminated and reallocate the money. IT IS CALLED PRIORITIZING AND LIVING WITHIN YOUR MEANS. Berney
Hart is part and parcel of the overarching problem in California. He and fellow Democrat's (Marxist's) continue to fleece and tax hard-working Californian's to subsidize their failed policies. It's a vicious cycle that has no end in site made even worse as they look to tax business entities and former resident's who have fled the state. The Democrat Supermajority in Sacramento is running roughshod over the citizenry with no checks and balances. Each bill coming out of the Capitol appears even more extreme than its predecessor. How do these robber Barrons with their destructive, anti-human policies continue to win elections in our fair state? It's a fair question to ask and a topic that requires much more bandwidth to address.
Break up the teacher union lock on California elections. They have the money, power and deep networking. When teachers unions tell you to support something, vote just the opposite.
Look at the funds received that go to mitigate climate crisis I.e. road diets, bulb-outs, widening sidewalks and bike lanes. Wasteful social engineering designed to modify our behavior.
Thank you Bonnie for once again, breaking it down, connecting the dots and exposing the abuse of power by the Democratic Socialists that dominate our state and local government. Where are the other media outlets exposing this outrageous tax on working families? Zip, zero, nada coverage. Kudos to the SB Current for running this story.
Why is it our elected officials need this additional revenue stream? Is it to try to shore up their disastrous budgetary shortfalls from incompetence and fraud? Or is it something more nefarious, like limiting the distance people can travel or knowing when and where we travel?
Clearly, our newly elected Senate President Pro-tem, Monique Limon, is on a sugar high lately, having been elected as the first “Latinx,” to this high office, but where are her priorities? Is it for working families and taxpayers, or is it for illegal immigrants, the homeless, Environmentalists, LGBTQ advocacy, or SEIU Members?
Look at our “Leadership” collectively on this and other issues.
We deserve much better than Limon, Carbajal and Hart.
Who’s side are they on?
Limon left SBUSD in shambles, left the Assembly with massive state debt, and now takes marching orders as state senate leader from insider Sacramento interests; not her own constituents. She has proven useful to Sacramento, thus her astonishing rise in political leadership with no credible accomplishments.
Greg Hart is not only a progressive ideologue--he is just an unlikeable guy.
IMHO ,he's a communist,and a hypocrite.
Another great story, shocking/ my gosh when will the tax grab ever end! Just back from FL’s ocean-near town of Las Olas where some friends from LA recently moved. Gas was $2.80 per gallon and while they were house hunting they had a super swanky ocean view 3 bedroom for $5k per month including pool and health club fees. You see in this vibrant area they actually build apartments keeping the rents shockingly affordable with a vibrant downtown where, unlike State street, new retail (no not Dollar General), bars, and restaurants are thriving. Now, it is near certain business hubs so the SB comparison is not completely fair but in November if SB-land gets 5 five more years of the same failed policies we will look much more like Portland than Las Olas. Bonnie, THANK YOU!
When will enough be enough? At some point, despite how beautiful California is, it simply won’t be worth living in California. It’s mileage tax today but tomorrow it will be a daily bowel movement tax. The midterms will be the deciding factor in our future as California residents.
This what you get with a one party rule in California. Everybody who owns a gas powered car,a hybrid, diesel trucks will be subsidizing electric vehicles. And there's no guarantee that the money will not be used to fund the bullet train, because federal funding has dried up. Our roads are in terrible shape because of the damage from ev vehicles that weigh way more than conventional vehicles.I see it on the 101,and local roads in Santa Maria. Potholes everywhere.
Greg Hart and Monique Limon along with the ignorance of democratic voters will cost everyone. I'm willing to bet that county and state vehicles will be exempt. This hasn't passed yet,but the environmentalists will be pushing hard for it. I'm looking at moving out of state right now,this is the last straw. To all the environmentalists,why don't you get rid of your EVs and ride a bike to work,or maybe if you live in Santa Inez ride a horse. That's what you want from your constituents . I know that this is an exaggeration,but you have now shown your contempt for voters. Those who voted for you are ignorant of the consequences. You will finally destroy this state.
Whenever you see Greg Hart or Monique Limon,and the county supervisors who voted to shutdown oil production in our county and offshore,and also the environmentalists demand that they give up their vehicles (EVs pollute because electricity is generated from fossil fuels and nuclear over wind and solar). They are hypocrites. Get in their face and peacefully demand answers. They have no accountability for how our taxes are spent.
If you want to move, move. However, your ignorance of this bill and the impact is amazing.
It does the complete OPPOSITE of what you proclaim it does.
It makes EV's pay. It REMOVES the free ride that EV's have gotten because there is no gas tax for an EV.
Here are some facts for you to digest( maybe get indigestion). I looked this up on Google AI. Ev's are typically heavier than ICE vehicles, internal combustion vehicles, adding 300to 1000lbs due to battery weight. Large trucks and SUV's can be thousands of pounds heavier than their gasoline counterparts. A Hyundai Kona EV weighs 850 lbs more than it's counterpart(3758 lbs vs 3053lbs for the gasoline version, a Ford F100 Lightning weighs 2000 lbs vs it's gas counterpart. Hybrids are lighter, but still heavier than ICE cars. So when you have no EV's paying no gas tax to cover the wear and tear on roads and bridges, it's an unfair tax on petroleum powered vehicles, not to mention a forced intent to limit how much people travel, Uber drivers, construction vehicles, delivery ve.hicles and so on. It's not my ignorance, it's your smug attitude, and if you read the bill, you'll have to say that it's one sided. Ask the question on Google the comparison of EV's to ICE vehicles regarding weight. We've had EV's for over a decade without them paying, and why wasn't it thought of to charge a tax or fee at the charging stations? You should look up how much power Diablo Canyon generate, 9% total electricity for the state,17% zero carbon electricity, and 20% of electricity for PG&E. Just looking at these facts just blows your reply away. Call me ignorant, but you have tunnel vision
Bill,
Again . . . pay attention.
I have said repeatedly that I think it is unfair that EVs (which I currently drive) do not pay the gas tax. All gas-operated vehicles are giving EVs a free ride. I am for this tax as a gas consumption tax because it makes things fairer. I have also stated that, instead of a purely mileage-based system, I want it to use weight tiers as well.
So yes, you are ignorant. This is what you wrote, "Everybody who owns a gas powered car,a hybrid, diesel trucks will be subsidizing electric vehicles." That is what is currently happening! This bill, as it currently is, does not do that at all. A person driving 10k miles will pay the same regardless if they are in an ICE or Hybrid or EV.
And, seriously, keep showing your ignorance. You are concerned about EV's causing power issues? Are you kidding me? An EV, driving 15k miles per year, uses about the same energy as a hot water heater running 3-4 hours a day.
As of the end of last year, CA hit 2.5mm evs. Let's make this the WORST case scenario to help you. Assuming NONE of the EVs were ever charged by solar power and relied 100% on electricity produced, and all 2.5mm were there on 1/1/2025, they would have used about 10.7 TWh in 2025.
In 2023, CA data centers consumed 10.8 TWh. This is before AI came around. It is expected that by the end of this year, consumption will be between 22 and 25 TWh. Yes, the computers you are using will consume 2x as much energy as EVs by the end of this year. And that is not even taking into account the water they go through.
Now, if you want to get in the weeds, we can, but if you want to talk about the total energy required to produce the gasoline for 2.5mm vehicles getting 22mpg, that is more than it is for the 2.5mm EVs. Now, of course, that is not all electricity, but it is still a lot.
Start by eliminating the mileage reimbursement for Hart and other elected officials and then add an enhanced charge for EV's based on their increased weight negatively impacting our highways.
I have a simple solution. Bonnie Donovan for governor.
Thank you for writing. Not a pretty picture.
By the time the Ds are done with the State they will have chased all the productive folks out leaving a crushing debt created by the legislature, government employees and their bloated bureaucracy scheming on another tax increase.
Who owns EVs? Not the poor. Who lives close to their workplace or has the luxury of remote work? Not the workingclass. Those are the folks, the poor and struggling middle class, to get sucked up. And to add to Bonnie's joy: two days ago I received an email invite from SCG to attend a virtual meeting hosted by the CPUC. Introducing the "Neighborhood Decarbonization Program." Sounds downright friendly! I live in a 1956 home heated and run by natural gas: heater, kitchen appliances, laundry. I drive a 16 year old Jeep and 36 year old pickup, both gas-powered and the Silverado now reclassified commercial with the attendant increase in DMV fees -- for an old vehicle. BTW: The rent control lobby ought to be shaking at the thought of converting all Santa Barbara's rental units to electric, increasing housing costs in one of the most expensive regions in the country.
My reply is the environmentalists,Democrats elites do not care. Until you elect more conservatives, nothing will change.
There are currently 33,179 aliens in California’s custody with active detainers. The crimes of these aliens include 399 homicides, 3,313 assaults, 3,171 burglaries, 1,011 robberies, 8,380 dangerous drugs offenses, 1,984 weapons offenses, and 1,293 sexual predatory offenses.
Newsom is ready to release these individuals into the community and ignoring their ICE detainer.
For those who belong to the groups protesting ICE,you have blood on your hands. You're ignorant and hypocritical. Please keep posting your comment. News outlets like Newshawck are afraid to do,that includes the Santa Maria Times
Perhaps someone can explain why the current Federal administration is not sending masked armed ICE agents into the headquarters of companies that employ undocumented workers?
To add to this story. We sell Hydroxy Gas™ generator kits you can add to your ICE engine, gas or diesel and save approx. 25% on fuel costs, for you complete the burn by adding a catalyst to the fuel. CARB out laws our design that should be o all cars, trucks, on US hwys. Do to the threat of losing 25% they hate our products!!! that clean emissions by 85%! Nox by 90%! Invented by a doctor of Aero Space Engineering, we produce (-H -H -O) gas that bonds too, then marries the (+) hydro-carbon chain of molecules and completely blows it all apart, burning all the fuel you purchased! A super clean burn. HydrogenGarage dot calm
I wonder if we are about to see class action civil rights violation litigation and injunctive relief? This most recent scam would place untenable burdens on the poor and other economically challenged in our populace. That is without even going into the economic impact such a "tax" or "fee" would generate. One could see the EV usage contradiction coming ages ago. It was designed as a feature, and is NOT a bug. (Here, get an EV, you will save the planet and money too) Then there is the tax and fee structure surrounding fuel. Then automobile registration rate hikes. Maybe Sacto should just euthanize the public. Might be a more merciful tact. Oh wait.... May be best to not joke about that. Thanks Bonnie, for doing the work that matters.
Bonnie, unfortunately Gregg has been served to much of the Dems Kool-Aid. Rather than look around for cost savings , like eliminating Cal Med for illegals , homeless housing fraud or the Covid scams, they would rather try and tackle themselves out of the mess they have created. Gregg has to go. Cheers
Like with every new proposal with an accompanying tax, we find ourselves debating the merits of the proposal and who will pay the tax. However, what is overlooked in the discussion is whether there are existing expenditures, projects, et al. which are less important, not successful, or have outlived their usefulness so that they can be terminated and reallocate the money. IT IS CALLED PRIORITIZING AND LIVING WITHIN YOUR MEANS. Berney