SANDAG Chairman Nora Vargas: No mileage tax, no road user charge (yet)

SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair and SANDAG Chair Nora Vargas visited the KUSI News Studio for an in-depth live discussion of all the issues facing the County of San Diego.

KUSI’s Lauren Finney began the interview by questioning Vargas on issues and decisions made by the Supervisory Board, including homelessness, homeownership and eviction rules, and the California prostitution crisis and push to repeal SB 357.

Finney asked Vargas about the role of law enforcement in the homeless crisis, as there is clearly criminal activity in the camps. Finney asked, “Are you prepared to say that law enforcement will be part of this approach to solving this problem?”

Vargas responded, “I think it’s very important to highlight that for the first time in decades, San Diego County is really doing something about the homelessness and housing shortage that we’ve had.” Continuing, “This has not been a priority for San Diego County for decades, but the new Board has made it a priority for us. This will require law enforcement, it will need to make sure we have the resources to fight substance abuse. We need to make sure we continue to invest dollars in mental health care. We will need to continue to work closely with the small business community to make sure we address these issues directly.”

To conclude: “The economy has really hit people hard, so we’re going to continue to do our best to make sure people get everything they need.”

Finney then pointed out that there is a section of the homeless population that does not want help from the county, but Vargas sidestepped the question by refusing to acknowledge that there is a section of the homeless population that endangers San Diegan.

Paul Rudy of KUSI asked Vargas a question in the second half of the interview, in which he focused on her position as SANDAG chairman.

Rudy began his interrogation by referring to Vargas’ tweet (below), where she simultaneously informed voters that a mileage tax could not be introduced by a government agency without voter approval, and also called SANDAG’s proposed mileage tax “road user fees.”

Rudy asked if SANDAG would use “tolling the roads” as a way to gain voter approval. In response, Vargas stated that “there will be no road user charges in the regional plan.”

Vargas continued: “There will be no road user fee in the 2025 plan, and I have direct staff at SANDAG so there are no road user fees. There is really no discussion about this if and when, yes, now is not the time to charge road users in our region.”

But the next thing Vargas said could be an omen of what’s to come. She continued her response by saying, “If and when that happens, the voters will have to make that decision.” Adding that “Pilot programs are currently underway in the state and these decisions and this information will be returned. I think I want to make sure our community hears from me firsthand that there will be no road user tolls.”