Another day, another handout: Gavin Newsoms EV rebate insults Californians

Once again, Gov.Gavin Newsom is dipping into Californians’ wallets to bankroll an electric-vehicle handout — this time a $3,500 “MyFirstEV” rebate for first-time buyers.This, while the state can’t keep the lights on for basic problems and the governor plays national politics with other people’s money.The program sinks roughly $135 million of taxpayers’ cash into instant discounts for a select few.

That’s money yanked from workers and families already paying some of the highest taxes in America.It’s going to shave a few grand off sticker prices for certain cars — while housing stays unaffordable, homelessness festers, wildfires rage, roads crumble and everyday costs keep climbing.Prioritizing EV car subsidies over these crises isn’t leadership.It’s an insult.And let’s not pretend this is some noble policy.

Newsom is waving the rebate slip around as California’s big rebuke to federal tax credit rollbacks. He’s cast himself as the progressive hero standing up to Washington.Too bad the bill lands on California taxpayers.We’re footing the cost of his national photo-op.

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By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.Never miss a story The actual benefits? Narrow and lopsided.

First-time buyers of EVs costing under $50,000 new (or $25,000 used) get the break.Plenty of lower- and middle-income households still can’t swing the rest of the price, the higher insurance or the home charger.

Apartment renters are mostly out of luck.So the broad tax base subsidizes a very narrow slice of better-positioned buyers.Classic.Market reality makes it worse.

The federal EV credits vanished at the end end of 2025.EV sales cooled, and dealer lots filled up with slow movers. Big automakers took tens of billions in write-downs while delaying or killing off EV model...