Proposition 21 would impose an $18 per year "vehicle license surcharge"

Proposition 21 would impose an $18 per year "vehicle license surcharge" Proposition 21 would impose an $18 per year "vehicle license surcharge" with exceptions for commercial vehicles, trailers and trailer coaches. Formerly known as "the Car Tax," this measure would raise $500 million per year which would be dedicated to state parks and wildlife programs. As an offset, every vehicle subject to the tax would be able to enter state parks without paying current day use fees. The net result would be an additional $250 million per year for the park system.

While there is nothing wrong with raising taxes to support state parks, many of California's budget problems are the result of inflexibility caused by hundreds of dedicated taxes and trust funds. The income raised by this surcharge would not be available for any other purpose, no matter how urgent. At the same time, the existence of the trust fund might encourage legislators to reduce current general fund allocations to the park system resulting in no increase in park funding. On principal, California needs to eliminate dedicated funds, not add more of them.

As if to prove this point, Proposition 22 would prevent the state from temporarily borrowing $1 billion in certain dedicated funds for general fund usage. A "yes" vote prevents the borrowing and creates additional budgetary inflexibility; a "no" vote allows the borrowing