Virginians pay an average of $1,139 in annual property taxes just to own a car — the highest in the nation. In the 2025 legislative session, Republicans proposed providing car tax relief to low-income families, but Democrats killed the bill — just as they’ve repeatedly killed Republican bills that would provide tax relief for Virginians. Democrat Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell called Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s (R) proposal for car tax relief “a zombie gimmick that got rejected in the 90s.” Democrats seem to forget the history of the issue, which heavily favors Republicans. In 1997, Jim Gilmore (R) was elected governor on a platform of getting rid of the car tax. Gilmore was able to get legislation passed in his first year to phase out the tax over five years. Then came Democrat Gov. Mark Warner in 2002, who immediately froze the car tax relief at 70 percent and then further eroded the phase-out plan into what remains in place today. The Democrat legislation governing the car tax is confusing, and perhaps intentionally so. As an educated Virginian, I’ve never quite understood how that monstrous bill is configured that arrives in my mailbox every year. Here is what I’ve discovered. State law permits each city or county to set its own rate for personal property taxes. The commonwealth then provides a percentage of so-called tax relief to localities on up to $20,000 of the value of a vehicle. The total state tax relief apportioned to localities is now set by law at $950 million annually. With the money apportioned, localities must first allocate funds to pay the vehicle tax of active-duty military members, then the rest is provided for “tax relief” on remaining vehicles that qualify. Vehicles used for business purposes and trucks that weigh over 10,000 pounds do not qualify for relief. The percentage of relief varies based on what is set by the local governing body in each locality. For example, the 2024 relief rate in Virginia Beach was 44.6 percent, Fairfax was 50 percent, Richmond was 22 percent, and Roanoke was 44.79 percent. My college-age son recently purchased a car. When his vehicle property tax arrived in the mail, he was confused by the bill and commented that he had already paid the tax on his car when he purchased it. When I alerted him that Virginia requires another annual tax just to own a vehicle, he was shocked. I don’t think he wants to live in Virginia after he graduates from college. Here is a sample of a Virginia car tax bill. None of these are extravagant, high-end vehicles — yet the total owed is more than $1,000 each year. Republicans Fighting to Eliminate the Car Tax Against Democrat Obstruction In 2023, Virginia Del. Tim Anderson (R) submitted a constitutional amendment to abolish the car tax. As with most other Republican bills in the Democrat-controlled legislature, Anderson’s efforts were quickly killed. Now, Anderson, who’s running for office again this year along with the entire House of Delegates, wants to pass tax relief for hard-working Virginians. Anderson told me: One thing is for sure — we are taxed too much. Taxed on our wages, taxed on things we buy and taxed on vehicles we own. Government must be reduced in size to provide a path to eliminate the car tax. It will be a top priority of mine next year. In 2025, Sen. Tara Durant (R) patroned a bill that would’ve provided an income tax credit in 2025–2027 for taxpayers whose income didn’t exceed $50,000 for an individual ($100,000 if filing jointly). This was a compromise approach that many Republicans felt didn’t go far enough — yet Democrats killed the bill in committee anyway. Their message was clear: We do not want to provide any tax relief for Virginians. Period. Gov. Youngkin hit the nail on the head when he called the car tax “the most hated tax” since the tea tax that sparked the American Revolution. He proposed $1.1 billion in car tax relief in his budget, but it was again stymied by the Democrat-controlled legislature. In Virginia, it’s clear that lawless Democrats want to tax-and-spend on worthless projects while Republicans want to return money to families’ wallets. Unsurprisingly, WalletHub found that blue states have a much higher tax burden than red states — and Virginia is considered a blue state despite having a Republican governor. New York’s tax burden is more than double that of Florida. (RELATED: Americans Are Fleeing Blue States in Droves) Virginia falls in the middle; expect that to become far worse if Democrats take over full control of the legislature and the governor’s mansion this November. Republican candidates in Virginia should highlight the stark contrast between the parties on the issue of the car tax. I’ve never met a Virginian who likes the dreaded car tax. It’s time to bring former Gov. Jim Gilmore out of retirement to help Republicans campaign this election season! Victoria Manning is a senior investigative researcher for Restoration News. READ MORE: Your Mileage May Vary on New Tax Proposal Trump’s ‘No Tax on Tips’ Pledge Could Shape His Political Destiny The post Virginia Vehicle Property Tax Is Highest in Nation. Why Are Dems Fighting So Hard to Keep It? appeared first on The American Spectator | USA News and Politics.