Election results 2022 California - AP projects: Californians reject Prop 30, a tax hike on the wealthy to fight climate change
AP projects Californians have rejected a tax increase on the state's richest residents.
Proposition 30 proposed a new tax on residents who make over $2 million an extra 1.75% in order to generate funding for programs that will be used to fight climate change and help prevent wildfires.
"Prop 30 taxes rich people who make over $2 million," said Dr. Fernando Guerra, a political science professor at Loyola Marymount University. "It increases the tax rate to 15%. It's already over 13%, which is one of the highest in the nation. The money comes from rich people and it goes to people who buy electric cars and charging stations.
The state legislative analyst predicted this measure would increase tax revenue by $3.5 to $5 billion annually.
The vast majority, about 80%, of generated revenue would go to the zero-emission vehicle purchase incentives as well as the construction and operation of charging and fueling stations.
The other 20% would be used to hire, train and retain state firefighters in addition to wildfire response and prevention programs.
Despite its seemingly well-intentioned nature, critics have raised concerns about who is backing Prop 30.
"Prop 30 was put on the ballot largely by Lyft," said Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson. "Lyft, the rideshare company, is hoping that this will help them fund the move to electric cars. They put in about $15 million already to support this ballot measure."
Guerra added that Lyft will most likely get a lot of the subsidies to transition its business model to electric cars.
"Lyft's business model is to move to electric cars and [Prop 30] will, in a sense, indirectly finance the new business model," he said.
Prop 30 has garnered criticism from both sides of the aisle including the Republican party and Governor Gavin Newsom.
"They say that the measure is an unnecessary tax hike, during a time in which everyone is already feeling the crunch from inflation and surging gas prices," said Dr. Sara Sadhwani, a professor of politics at Pomona College. "Some are concerned that this is another move by lift to skirt their responsibility to switch their cars over to electric vehicles and that this is a proposition masquerading as a clean energy, environmentally-friendly proposition."
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