California's highest-in-the-nation gas taxes
are rising. But promised repairs are lagging
Los Angeles Times,
by
Patrick McGreevy
Original Article
Posted By: NorthernDog,
5/23/2021 9:01:02 AM
Four years after the Legislature boosted the gas tax in order to fix California’s crumbling roads and bridges, the state has spent billions and made some progress in repairs, but officials now say the funding is sufficient only to complete less than half of the work needed. The gas tax has been a political hot potato since it was passed in 2017, resulting in the recall of a Democratic state senator who voted for the legislation and an unsuccessful attempt by Republicans in 2018 to ask voters to repeal the higher charges. Now, with the gas tax set to increase
Reply 1 - Posted by:
rikkitikki 5/23/2021 9:40:34 AM (No. 794209)
This article is only telling 1/3 of the real story.
I just got back from a roundtrip from Texas to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and had to buy my own gasoline.
If CA gasoline tax is only $0.51/gal higher than other states, then why is the avg price at the pump in LA and SF higher than those in Texas by a full $1.40/gal?
4 people like this.
Reply 2 - Posted by:
MDConservative 5/23/2021 10:21:33 AM (No. 794258)
Taxes for this, that and whatever good cause...toss in gimmicks like the lottery. See how much all that extra money has contributed to the betterment of education, the roads, parks and the environment, public safety, etc.? What do you mean, NO?
5 people like this.
Reply 3 - Posted by:
Skinnydip 5/23/2021 10:31:58 AM (No. 794269)
Sorry, but I find it really hard to care one iota about California’s problems.
6 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
coyote 5/23/2021 10:38:12 AM (No. 794282)
When I first set foot in California, 60 years ago, the sun was bright and palms swayed in the breeze over roads were the best in the country. Now those roads are full of pot holes and worn out, and the government seems incapable of repair or ordinary maintenance.
3 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
MickTurn 5/23/2021 11:03:26 AM (No. 794317)
Promises...Schromises...Politicians should be accountable...one lie, a pass, two a 30 minute beating, three, you guessed it, Firing Squad!
2 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
snowoutlaw 5/23/2021 11:04:59 AM (No. 794321)
LATs so the truth isn't mentioned. The problem is more than half of the billions go to new mass transit programs that few will use like high speed trains to nowhere, not to roads and bridges. Also much is diverted to things not even related to roads like free medical and housing for illegals. Besides the planned gas tax increases mentioned in the story the sales taxes paid on the tax also goes up, yes there is a 8% sales tax on the tax. Now I hear they want to charge $0.10 per mile for driving to force more to use public transportation systems.
2 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Sandpiper 5/23/2021 11:14:55 AM (No. 794330)
You raise a good point Number 1. The gas taxes don’t explain the higher prices compared to other states. California does require its own gas formulations by law to combat smog, and that adds costs, but that doesn’t explain why Northern Californians pay more for gasoline than Southern Californians - especially when most of the gas is refined in NorCal. When the discrepancy in prices was finally looked into it came down to:
1. Fewer gas stations in Northern California compared to Southern CA so demand was higher at each and
2. Because the gas companies CAN charge more and get away with it. The companies charge whatever the market will bear.
I personally suspect point #2 explains some of the discrepancy between Cali gas prices and the rest of the nation.
2 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
chance_232 5/23/2021 12:16:19 PM (No. 794423)
I lived in LA from 91-96. When I go there, the highway system was the best that I had seen anywhere. The roads were maintained, landscaped and irrigated. The traffic was atrocious, but California had the best traffic control system that I had ever seen.
I went back in 2007 for a week. The roads are falling apart, everything is covered with graffiti, the landscaping is dead and the smog was worse than ever.
I have no intentions of ever, on purpose, returning to Southern California. The crime and cost of living drove me out of the state, and the crime and costs have increased by several factors since then.
4 people like this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
DVC 5/23/2021 12:31:58 PM (No. 794438)
Not incapable, #4. Just uninterested.
1 person likes this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
RuckusTom 5/23/2021 2:34:41 PM (No. 794539)
#1 and #7 California requires its own, special blend of gas for the environment (i.e. smog reduction). Remixing the Kool aid or making a completely different batch costs refiners $$$. Those costs are passed on to the consumers (in California).
0 people like this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
JHHolliday 5/23/2021 2:43:40 PM (No. 794543)
I was in LA 15 years ago and had to drive the 101 several times. It was like some third world highway. Full of shock-busting potholes and big cracks. I don’t know what it’s like now but I doubt it’s much better.
0 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
vhs68 5/23/2021 4:11:47 PM (No. 794609)
Here's a novel idea. All the electric vehicles pay a per-mile rate tax. pick a number. all combustion vehicles continue to pay the tax assessed per gallon of gas purchased. This ends the free ride for electric vehicles.
2 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
DVC 5/23/2021 5:55:01 PM (No. 794678)
Perhaps they need some new leadership to fix the roads?
No, I guess that would never work.
/s off
0 people like this.
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Expenses are higher than expected and actually tax revenue lower than expected. State now needs billions more.