Are Democrats Trying to Force Minnesotans Off the Road?

If you’ve been driving in Minnesota for any length of time, you know it’s been getting more difficult to be a car owner. Maintenance is expensive, fees on tabs continue to get added on, insurance premiums are expensive, and let’s not even talk about gas prices. 

While it’s not surprising that Democrats have put a target on the oil and gas industry, their new found control could make it even more difficult to own and operate a car.

First, let’s look at Gov. Walz’s tab fee increase. Currently, Minnesotans are taxed a percentage of the overall cost of a vehicle. The first year, you’d pay a 100 percent of the MSRP. Every year after that, the percentage of the MSRP grows smaller, as does your tab fee. After 8 years, you hit the base pay of $35 for your tabs.

The new proposal would increase the costs of tabs for Minnesotans buying a new vehicle. Under the Walz plan, Minnesotans would pay 160 percent of the total cost of the vehicle. So a vehicle that costs $30,000 would be taxed like it was a $48,000 vehicle. The Center for the American Experiment did the math. With a $30,000 vehicle, your tabs for the first year would cost $395.50. Under the Walz plan? You’re looking at a bill of $626.80. 

Next, let’s look at the Clean Car Standards which Democrats adopted. The Minnesota appeals court recently ruled the California-dreamed legislation was constitutional, meaning the state could move forward with its plan to “encourage” the sale of electric vehicles over gas-powered vehicles. The state argued that to follow California’s lead in banning gas-powered vehicles, they would have to pass a law adopting it. But here’s why that’s important. 

Minnesota Democrats are currently trying to ban natural gas and gas-powered tools. Democrats currently have legislation that would ban natural gas appliances in new buildings. That means no new gas stove, gas fireplace, or maybe even gas furnace. There’s also new legislation that would ban gas lawn mowers, weed whackers, and other gas-powered lawn tools. 

If they’re targeting gas-powered lawn tools and natural gas appliances, what’s to stop them from coming after your car, truck, or SUV? Nothing.