California's gas tax increase has fast-tracked road repairs as supporters hope to stave off a repeal

[Zorro]

Motorists on the 605 Freeway may have recently noticed their ride getting smoother when they pass through El Monte — at least state officials hope they have.

Three months after the state began collecting an extra 12 cents per gallon in gas taxes, officials have put dozens of road and bridge repair projects on the fast track. With momentum growing for a Republican-led campaign to repeal the gas tax hike, nervous proponents of the higher charges are hoping the flurry of construction activity on California highways will save the $54 billion the levies will generate during the next decade for the state’s badly neglected road system.

The stakes were raised Monday when President Trump announced plans to provide up to $200 billion in federal funds for road and other infrastructure projects, focusing heavily on the ability of states to provide substantial matching funds to receive a share of federal money.

“The proposed repeal of SB 1 would not only rob our state and local governments of vitally needed state funding, but now we learn that it could also hamper our ability to receive federal funding,” said Matt Cate, executive director of the California State Assn. of Counties.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-gas-tax-repairs-repeal-20180215-htmlstory.html

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Goddamn the Republicans and their "no new taxes" BS!

How do they expect the roads to be repaired?

[Zorro]

2. They believe the magic road repair fairy will fix them

[politicaljunkie41910]

3. I'm proud of my state, California. I'm visiting my daughter in Georgia helping out with the newest

grandbaby and the roads out here have craters so big, a car can fall in them. The roads have manhole covers in them which are about 5-6 inches below the road's surface and not only are they dangerous but they can do a lot of damage to your vehicle.

As a life long Californian, I don't mind paying for things when I can see the results, and I see it in my community back at home. I don't want to pay for other states roads though, and I don't want to see any of the money that we are paying for in our California state gasoline tax going to fix other state's roads. Let them pay for theirs, themselves. California already pays more out in federal income taxes, and federal gasoline taxes, than we could ever hope to receive back in our share from the federal government. It's not even close. I recall when John McCain was running for President with his version of the Dotard, Sarah Palin. I recall that Alaska received more aid from the Federal government than any other state, and paid into the federal government one of the lowest amounts of all the states, while everyone of their state residents were getting a check every year from the oil companies in the thousands of dollars, even babies. If other states don't want to raise their gasoline taxes to pay for improvements in their states, that's okay, but the Dotard in the White House shouldn't take our tax dollars to pay for road and infrastructure improvements that other states are unwilling to tax themselves to pay for.

[BigmanPigman]

4. I posted info about our state's 12 cents per gallon increase,

which was approved by voters last year, yesterday on a DU post. Our cost of living is high here and we are taxed more than many states but residents know that this needs to be done. Arnold drained our state of so much money and Brown has been working hard to straighten things out. I will miss him!

[JayhawkSD]

5. Oh really?

If "residents know that this needs to be done" then why the referendum to repeal the new gas tax? I haven't, and will not, sign the thing, but it will certainly get enough signatures to be on the ballot. Any guesses as to whether or not it will pass? It will pass.

No, residents do not know that this needs to be done. Some do, but a great many resent being expected to actually pay for the roads they drive on.