Californians are tire-ing of rising costs and regulations

Whatever happened to “affordability”? 

Gavin Newsom latched onto that word almost as soon as it gained traction nationwide.

But now, he’s defending the opposite.

The California Energy Commission — all five of whose members were either appointed or reappointed by Newsom — decided this week to ban certain tires from the road in 2029.

The commission decided to lower the maximum “rolling resistance” of replacement tires, ostensibly because that would reduce fuel usage.

By 2033, the regulatory changes could eliminate 70% of the tires currently on the market. And the remaining 30% of tires would be more expensive.

The bureaucrats say that drivers will make up for higher tire prices by saving money on gas. But if that were true, why would California need to force drivers to buy the fancier tires? 

People aren’t stupid. They figure these things out, especially when it comes to saving money. 

It’s the Costco principle: Spend more money buying in bulk today, so you save money per unit over the long run. We get it.

But nobody trusts the California Energy Commission’s promises that the approved tires will only cost a few dollars more each.

Manufacturers are warning that the low “rolling resistance” tires could cost hundreds of dollars more, especially since drivers usually have to replace all four tires at once.

The new restrictions are just one more regulation making California more expensive.

Everyone understands that, whether they vote Democrat or Republican, which is why the new tire rules are provoking universal outrage.

The thicket of rules and the list of taxes that law-abiding citizens have to heed in California are simply massive.

Almost no area of life is untouched.

For generations, the open roads of California — the winding mountain roads, the wide interstates — represented freedom. (It’s why we call them “freeways,” not just “highways” or “expressways.”) 

Now the roads are just one more way to feel trapped in a system from which there is no escape — except across state lines.

It’s why tens of thousand of people continue to leave for places that actually try to keep the cost of living down.

Do U-Haul trucks have to abide by California’s “rolling resistance” rules?

We are going to find out. It’s too bad.