Written Communications – PC
Lorena H. – Received 3/3/2026
From: Lorena H
Sent: Tuesday, March 3, 2026 6:34 AM
To: CityClerk <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment - Opposition to the VMT (Vehicle Miles Traveled) Dear City Clerk and Chula Vista City Council Members,
My name is Lorena. I am a senior resident of Chula Vista, a student at Southwestern College, and a single mother/caregiver of my child with special needs. I strongly oppose the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) tax for the following reasons:
1. Respecting Different Needs (70,000 Residents)
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Chula Vista is home to over 40,000 seniors and 28,000 people with disabilities. While some of us drive, many others rely entirely on medical shuttles because they cannot drive. This tax hurts both groups by penalizing drivers and threatening to collapse a specialized transit system that is already at capacity.
2. Penalizing the "Circle of Support" (Family, Neighbors, and Friends) Many seniors and residents with disabilities who do not have their own cars rely on the "blessing" of having family members, neighbors, or friends who drive them to appointments and grocery stores. With gas prices already at record highs in California, adding a mileage tax will make it impossible for these kind-hearted people to continue helping us. This tax is essentially punishing the kindness and solidarity of our community.
3. Inefficiency of Public Alternatives
The current transit safety net is overstretched. I have personally been stranded because shuttles were unavailable. Pushing more drivers onto public services will only create longer, dangerous wait times for those who have no other choice. It is more cost-effective for the city to allow us to maintain our personal mobility.
4. Safety and Independence
Waiting for a bus or having to walk to a bus stop in extreme heat, rain, or after dark is a health risk for our vulnerable population. We deserve the right to live safely and independently in our own homes without being penalized for every essential mile we travel.
I urge the Council to follow Mayor John McCann’s lead and vote AGAINST any mileage tax.
Sincerely,
Lorena H.