RICHMOND, Va. (7News) -- Efforts to eliminate the car tax are coming to a screeching halt in Richmond.
Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly introduced bills to scrap the car tax, but those bills are struggling to get support from Democratic lawmakers who are in the majority in both chambers.
Meanwhile, some Democratic lawmakers introduced legislation to study eliminating the car tax, including State Sen. Dave Marsden and Del. Lily Franklin.
That proposed study, which bill sponsors say would cost taxpayers nothing, would look at how many tax dollars local governments receive from the car tax and propose ideas to localities if state lawmakers decide to actually axe the tax.
But last week, during a Senate Resources Subcommittee hearing, Democrats voted to kill the car tax study bill, claiming the study...needs more study.
Before that happened, Marsden told lawmakers why they should pass his car tax study resolution.
"It's a resolution to ask that the Department of Taxation be requested to study options to the car tax, to look for alternative revenue sources and local tax revenues to determine if any of these ideas would be workable to implement here in the Commonwealth to repeal, reduce or replace the car tax," said Sen. Marsden. "Who knows what new ideas are out there until we put these folks to work? Because I think it's been a while since we've looked into it."
"I like Senator Durant's version of trying to actually eliminate the car tax better," said Sen. Ryan McDougle, the Republican Senate Minority Leader. "Now this is just significantly less better, but it’s still attempting to move something. So, I’m in favor."
"I hate to disagree with my good friend down there," said Sen. Mamie Locke, a Democrat who represents Hampton Roads. "but I think this still needs some additional study. So I move that we carry the bill over."
This year, the House of Delegates passed a slightly different car tax study bill, which is going to the Senate for a vote. 7News will let you know what happens with that bill.
The tax, in one form or another, has been in place since 1782, when people used horse-drawn carriages, wagons, and carts to get around, according to the Library of Virginia.
It was passed that year to help fund the state government. But now, the state does not receive revenue from the annual personal property tax on vehicles. Instead, local governments get your money and choose how much car tax you pay.