Democrats in the Virginia General Assembly have signaled their opposition to Governor Glenn Youngkin’s plan to eliminate the state’s unpopular car tax as part of his budget since he unveiled it last week. Despite Youngkin’s calls for additional mental health and education funding, the plan’s detractors say revenue generated through taxing personal vehicles is necessary to fund the commonwealth’s schools.
Youngkin declared before the Virginia House of Delegates on December 20 that the commonwealth’s “car tax belongs in the trash can, not in your mailbox,” and his budget revealed plans to offset revenue lost by eliminating the car tax and lowering the income tax with a sales tax increase.
A clip of Youngkin’s remarks was viewed more than 100,000 times on X, formerly Twitter, though at least two Virginia Democrats have already suggested they will oppose the governor’s plan.
Governor @GlennYoungkin is calling on the General Assembly to eliminate the hated Virginia car tax:
“The car tax belongs in the trash can, not in your mailbox.” pic.twitter.com/GEdJalult6
— Team Youngkin – Spirit of Virginia (@TeamYoungkin) December 20, 2023
Virginia State Senator Scott Surovell (D-Fairfax) called Youngkin’s proposal “very disappointing” and compared Virginians’ relationship with the tax to “going to the dentist” in remarks to WAVY, which reported that the incoming Senate Majority Leader claimed Youngkin’s decision to propose the tax change in his budget “does not get us off on the right foot when we have to govern together for the next two years.”
Surovell told 7News last Wednesday that removing the car tax and raising the missing money through a sales tax would unfairly punish those who take public transportation or drive affordable vehicles. He acknowledged, “No one likes the car tax which is imposed and set by localities to support our schools,” but claimed Youngkin’s plan only cuts “taxes for the wealthy.”
Delegate Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke) similarly claimed Virginia is “severely underfunding our schools and mental health,” and said Youngkin’s plan would need to face the “reality” of “trying to figure out where you get the resources.”
Some local leaders have been more supportive of Youngkin’s plan, with Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity (R-Springfield) declaring, “It is past time for Fairfax County to work with Governor Youngkin and the General Assembly to eliminate the much-hated car tax and make Fairfax County and Virginia more affordable for residents.” Herrity is the sole Republican on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
It is past time for Fairfax County to work with Governor Youngkin and the General Assembly to eliminate the much-hated car tax and make Fairfax County and Virginia more affordable for residents. pic.twitter.com/tvxLVmZ2ds
— Supervisor Pat Herrity (@PatHerrity) December 21, 2023
Herrity added that Fairfax County should “take him up on that offer and work to eliminate” the tax in remarks to WUSA9. He acknowledged the car tax generates “a significant amount of revenue to Fairfax County,” which would “need to figure out how we’re going to make up that revenue.” Still, he stressed to the outlet, “People hate this tax. It is one of the things that makes Fairfax County in Virginia unaffordable.”
Youngkin’s proposed budget currently includes $500 million to address youth mental health in Virginia’s public schools and colleges, $448 million to continue funding early childhood education and daycare, and $150 million in additional mental health funding.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
