HOW THEY VOTED
The California Legislature voted late Thursday to raise gas taxes 12 cent per gallon and increase vehicle fees to fund transportation repairs across the state. Electric car owners will pay a $100 annual fee and vehicle fee increases will range from $25 for cars valued at under $5,000, to $175 for cars worth $60,000 or more. The increases are projected to raise $52 billion over 10 years. Following are the votes and statements from some local legislators.
Sen. Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton), District 5
Vote: Yes Statement: “The passage of SB1, the Transportation Bill, and the funding agreement to expand ACE Rail to Modesto and Merced is a “Big Win” for San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties. I have supported the development and expansion of ACE Rail for many years. I secured $34 million dollars from Prop 1A for planning ACE expansion to Modesto and Merced where it would connect to High Speed Rail to ensure that ACE Rail would be part of the blended system of passenger rail service. I, along with my colleagues, Senator Cannella and Assemblymember Gray, asked the Governor for an additional commitment of $400 million for the expansion and improvement of ACE Rail service including extending the system to Modesto and Merced. This project will help relieve congestion on Highway 99 and the Altamont Pass and will provide a fast and comfortable alternative for both commuter and leisure travelers from our communities to the East Bay and San Jose. SB1 will provide funds for desperately needed road and bridge maintenance and repair for both counties and cities. The constitutional protections in the bill guarantee that the money can only be spent on for transportation improvements in every part of the state. San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Merced Counties will receive extra funding as self-help counties which have passed their own transportation tax measures. The support that we received from our local elected officials and transportation agencies was critical in this effort and I am pleased to say that this is a “Big Win” for our communities.”
Assemblyman Heath Flora (R-Ripon), 12th District
Vote: No. Statement: “The Governor and the Legislature have a record of regularly raiding transportation funding for other purposes, and Californians already pay the highest gas prices and vehicle registration fees in the country. I cannot justify asking Californians to dig deeper into their pockets to fix our roads when we can get the job done with what they’ve given us already. SB 1 raises the gas tax by 70 percent (the largest gas tax increase in history) and the average cost of registering a vehicle by more than $50. Each year the backlog of basic road repairs grows by $5.7 billion, and the total backlog of deferred maintenance repairs currently sits at almost $60 billion.”
Assemblyman Jim Cooper (D-Elk Grove), 9th District
Vote: Yes. Statement: Cooper did not respond to requests for comment.