GAS TAX battle ongoing
Today, an initiative to repeal Gov. Jerry Brown’s gas tax will come to a crossroad as a judge will rule on “confusing” language in the proposed measure.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley will hear arguments today by Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) and the state’s attorney general’s office regarding the title and language in the Repeal Gas Tax Initiative.
On Tuesday, Frawley ruled the state-written title and summary of the measure could be misleading for voters.
Frawley said the title and summary drafted by the attorney general’s office is “confusing, misleading, and likely to create prejudice against the proposed measure.”
He ordered the attorney general’s office return to court today ready to discuss alternative language for the possible 2018 November ballot measure.
Allen is leading the effort to repeal the gas tax which goes into full effect in November.
State lawmakers already raised the gas tax rate by 1.9 cents in July, but not for diesel.
On Nov. 1, the gas tax will increase 12 cents and diesel 20 cents, along with a jump of up to $175 in yearly vehicle registration fees, all as part of the state’s attempt to increase funding for road infrastructure.
“This preliminary ruling (Tuesday’s ruling) is a major victory for Californians,” Allen said in a statement. “This brings us one step closer to repealing Jerry Brown’s hugely unpopular gas tax. I look forward to the final ruling (today), and ensuring that the Repeal the Gas Tax Initiative receives the straightforward ballot title and summary that it deserves.”
Allen, who is a candidate for state governor in 2018, is attempting to qualify the initiative for the November 2018 ballot.
He will have 180 days to collect at least 365,880 signatures of registered voters to do so.
Gas prices in the Valley
Motorists in the Imperial Valley will start to see a slight decrease in gas prices in the few days, as refineries in the Texas Gulf Coast continue to recover from damage caused by Hurricane Harvey.
Patrick Dehann, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy, said Wednesday, “National gasoline prices will trend lower and the downward movement will accelerate in the coming days as supply and demand tilt back towards a normal balance after Harvey’s shutdowns caused more gasoline to be consumed than produced.”
Switching to winter-blend gasoline will further decrease prices, however, he said we’ll continue to see the highest autumn prices since 2015.
The state average peaked at $3.18 on Sept. 7 and again on Sept. 15. The current state average is $3.17 and is the highest average in the nation according to GasBuddy.