Thread: California would increase fuel taxes under $52 billion road repair plan

Other states have their hands out to get infrastructure funding from the federal taxpayers.

CA. is willing to pay for their own infrastructure improvements

and pay federal taxes to help pay for the federal infrastructure work too.

APRIL 3, 2017 6:00 AM

Lobbying ramps up on tax increase, road repair package


Capitol Alert



Commute traffic east bound on Highway 50 near the 59th Street exit on Wednesday, September 23, 2015. Statistics indicate higher numbers of traffic fatalities are tied to more cars on the road. Jose Luis Villegas jvillegas@sacbee.com

BY TARYN LUNA
tluna@sacbee.com

With the deadline to pass a $5.2 billion a year road-spending package looming, interests are ramping up lobbying campaigns to propel or doom California’s largest potential transportation funding overhaul in a quarter century.

Proponents last week launched statewide television and radio ads in English and Spanish to urge legislators to pass the package. The groups also paid for special targeted ads calling out a mix of eight moderate Democrats and potentially vulnerable legislators in swing districts by name.

Funded by coalitions of supporters – building trades unions and contractors, among others – the ads specifically urge voters to tell Sens. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, and Anthony Cannella, R-Modesto, and Assemblymembers Catherine Baker, R-Dublin; Adam Gray, D-Merced; Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield; Sabrina Cervantes, D-Riverside; Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton; and Al Muratsuchi, D-Manhattan Beach, to support the deal.

“Tell your state legislators, ‘fix our roads,”’ a man narrating the ads says. “The longer they delay, the more we’ll pay.”

Meanwhile, Assembly Republicans posted a video on social media that blames Democrats for the state’s road problems. The ad says that over the years Democrats have raised vehicle and gas taxes to fix roads, but then used the money for other programs.

“The result? Extra hours on crumbling roads that cost motorists thousands in repairs,” the ads says. Now Democrats are attempting to raise taxes again to fix the issues they’ve ignored, the ad asserts.

Despite Democratic super majorities in both houses of the Legislature, political leaders face major hurdles to pass the package with a two-thirds vote.

The governor and Democratic legislative leaders set a Thursday deadline to approve the legislation, setting the stage for a highly concentrated lobbying effort this week.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-...142083319.html

California Legislature votes to raise gas taxes for road repairs and transit