Posted on 10/18/2017 5:45:58 PM PDT by BenLurkin
It’s the second Republican initiative aimed at repealing the tax increase, passed by lawmakers in April to generate $52 billion over 10 years for road and bridge repairs.
The gas hike includes a 20-cent per gallon increase in diesel taxes, a 12-cent per gallon hike in gas taxes and a 5.75 percent increase in diesel sales taxes. Vehicle license fees will be raised an average $38 per vehicle. Drivers will also face a new annual fee to be paid with their vehicle registration, ranging from $25 to $175 depending on the value of their vehicle. The taxes and fees will rise each year with inflation.
...
Republicans view the tax increase as a highly unpopular move that will draw voters from across California to the polls in the midterm election. Democrats plan to aggressively target seven California Republicans who serve in districts that voted Democratic in the presidential election.
One of those Republicans is U.S. Rep. Mimi Walters of Irvine, who added her support to the Cox-funded campaign.
“The liberal legislature needs to stop increasing taxes on hardworking Californians,” Walters said by phone during the news conference. Republican U.S. Rep. Doug LaMalfa also spoke in support of the repeal effort.
(Excerpt) Read more at losangeles.cbslocal.com ...
That should read:
"The taxes and fees will rise each year as long as Democrats are in control".
It's never enough, plus they're raising all the bridge tolls. Despite all the incoming money, they fail to adequately take care of the roads - because they divert the money to fund liberal causes! Including taking away vehicle lanes and replacing them with seldom used bicycle and walking paths. It's no longer about taking money from car drivers to help car traffic, they'll take car money for non-car use! That includes walking paths, bus systems and ferry boats - and administrator pensions.
The problem is nobody will vote for an increase in the excise tax applied at refineries. This is by far the most efficient point of collection, costing less than 1 cent on the dollar (9/10 to be exact) to collect.
By comparison, other taxes such as VMT cost as much as 25 cents of every dollar at the government end and more costs to the private sector.
If nobody in Congress is willing to raise the excise tax, then states have to resort to other means to fix roads that are getting old. Much of the opposition to the excise tax increase is from the GOP.
Take the money from the High Speed Rail, defund Calaid for Illegals, etc. and there will be plenty of money for roads.
Not only that but earmarked increases never seem to completely make it to their designated target.
It’s a bait and switch, just like 80% of the lottery profits were to go to education.
Well, at least they’re paying their lottery wins still, for now.
That is an argument over where funds are allocated. I’m with you on that. Unfortunately, your elected reps in California, both GOP and Dem, have not been willing to change that.
The GOP representatives that complain the most about the diversion of funds consistently vote in favor of continuing the diversion. It is NOT EVEN split votes. And I am not talking about the Legislature. That is Dem controlled.
At the local and regional level where transportation voices can be raised, GOPers and Dems alike are silent and voting yes to things like High Speed Rail and against anything that would stop diversion of transportation funds.
A tiny if any part of these taxpayer rape dollars will go to highways and roads, the demonrats will use almost all of it to fund their social programs, subsidise illegals and ridiculous boondoggles.
The only thing that will save California is if demonrat politicians suddenly and constantly suffer sudden rapid fatal diseases.
Wait a minute, I thought all of those electric vehicles would save California. Why would they need all of that gas in the first place?
Government is mostly a jobs program for Democrats. The only efficiency they want is buying the cheapest voter.
The pointed attack on diesel is sure to make everything cost more for Kalifornians - I guess they figure more taxes on others will make up for the shortfall to the already poor and allow them to keep “free” stuff “free” for the non-productive as the produces get it in the @$$...
>>Take the money from the High Speed Rail, defund Calaid for Illegals, etc. and there will be plenty of money for roads.<<
Californians were ALREADY paying gasoline taxes specifically for roads and infrastructure.
The legislature just flat-out STOLE those funds and have come begging. Watch — in 5 years they will ask again.
Frankly I think it is funny (I mean as schadenfreude) that liberal California passed the most regressive tax imaginable.
If I was still living there I would wince but it would not interfere with our lifestyle.
But for poor schlubs barely able to come up with the 45% or whatever of their take-home pay for rent and driving from Apple Valley to Montebello, this will be the difference between eating and starving.
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