Nunes gives repeal effort a boost

He and other GOP lawmakers donate to group fighting state’s gas tax increase.

SACRAMENTO — California’s Republican members of Congress are opening their wallets to help a financially strapped campaign to qualify an initiative that would repeal the state’s recent increases in gas taxes and vehicle fees.

If the effort works, it might drive a November turnout among voters who favor repealing the tax hikes — at a time when Republicans need a boost.

Among the contributors is Rep. Devin Nunes of Tulare, who has been in the headlines for his public push to release a controversial memo related to the Russia investigation. Nunes, who is campaigning against the gas tax back home, contributed $25,000 to Give Voters a Voice, the group reported Thursday.

Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa of Richvale chipped in $2,500 to the campaign, which had previously received $100,000 from House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and $25,000 each from Reps. Ken Calvert of Corona and Mimi Walters of Irvine.

The committee has raised about $615,000 to repeal the gas tax, but ended 2017 with just $3,791 in the bank.

Carl DeMaio, a former San Diego city councilman, sent a fundraising appeal Tuesday to supporters of the repeal measure saying that about 100,000 more petition signatures were needed to reach the required 587,000 to qualify the measure for the ballot. “We are really low on funds now and we need more financial help in our final four weeks to get this done!” DeMaio wrote.

The repeal campaign also is getting help from DeMaio’s Reform California PAC, which raised $831,154 last year and ended 2017 with $225,000 in the bank.

Republicans see political benefit in putting a measure on the November ballot as a way to energize voters to go to the polls.

The gas tax and vehicle fee increases will raise more than $5.2 billion annually to repair roads and bridges and improve mass transit.