Virginia delegate pushes car tax repeal study after other bills stall

WSET — Several bills to repeal the car tax in Virginia have failed in the General Assembly, but one Roanoke lawmaker has a proposal still moving through the process.

Democratic Delegate Lily Franklin, who represents parts of Roanoke County, has proposed legislation to start a study on what it would take to eliminate the car tax.

Lawmakers tabled a similar bill in a Senate committee last week, but Franklin said her bill may still have a chance because it’s different. She said a study is the best way to approach repealing the tax.

“There’s a lot of questions that are unanswered, and that’s really what’s stalled getting it completely passed through in the past. So this is the roadmap to getting it passed, and so we can look at all those different angles, come together, and decide how can we responsibly repeal this legislation,” Franklin said.

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Republican Delegate Eric Zehr said he doesn’t believe another study is effective. He wants the tax removed as soon as possible.

“We don’t need more studies. We need to actually implement relief, and Republicans have put forward legislation that would give Virginians relief from this tax,” Zehr said.

Delegate Franklin says Governor Youngkin’s budget doesn’t include funding to eliminate the car tax. Delegate Zehr said they have identified resources that could make it possible.

We’ll keep you updated as this legislation moves through the General Assembly.