Escondido Mayor Dane White criticizes SANDAG management for imposing mileage tax

ESCONDIDO (KUSI) – KUSI’s Ellie Wagner met with Escondido Mayor Dane White at Sunnyside Kitchen Wednesday.

They discussed support for small businesses in the city and a future city hall that Mayor White is holding and will be geared towards small businesses.

At the end of their live chat, Wagner asked White what he thought of the proposed SANDAG mileage tax, and White didn’t hold back.

As you know, the mileage tax is the main funding mechanism for the $163 billion Regional Transportation Plan, but SANDAG CEO Hassan Ihrata continues to push for a mileage tax, and other Democrats refuse to oppose the unpopular proposed tax.

Mayor White, referring to current chairman Nora Vargas, began his response by urging her to a misleading choice of word. White explained: “Interestingly, during the campaign it was called a tax, but now it has changed to a duty, a levy. I think they are doing this to deceive the residents. Frankly, I think SANDAG thinks we’re stupid.”

He went on to explain that the SANDAG proposal is intended to force people to get out of their cars and onto public transport against their will.

White also mentioned that people don’t mind paying for roads, but notes that “we already have and we don’t want to pay any more.”

RELATED STORY: SANDAG Chair Nora Vargas Misleads San Diego, Calls Mileage Tax ‘Road Toll’