Keep road projects on course

California’s roads are ranked as some of the worst in the country. The American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that driving on them costs each driver $844 per year in vehicle repairs. Roads, highways and traffic congestion are among Californians’ top complaints about quality of life in this state.

So it’s critical for voters to understand how destructive Proposition 6, a November ballot initiative to repeal last year’s gas tax increase, could be for each and every motorist.

Last year, California lawmakers approved SB1, a badly needed gas tax increase of 12 cents per gallon (diesel would see an increase of 20 cents per gallon). California hadn’t raised the gas tax since 1990.

It was a heavy lift for the Legislature, as tax and fee increases always are. But the roads are in terrible shape, and the bill was estimated to provide more than $50 billion between 2017 and 2027. In June 2018, California voters approved an initiative requiring the revenue to be spent on transportation-related purposes.

That should have been the end of the story.

Instead, the state’s Republican delegation smelled opportunity. Californians have a liberal reputation, but they’ve always been sensitive to tax increases — and the state’s high cost of living means that more and more working people are struggling to get by.

After successfully leading a recall campaign against state Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, over his gas tax vote, California Republicans realized they might be able to use the gas tax as a way to increase Republican voter turnout in November — and possibly save some U.S. House Republican seats in the process.

The result of this cynical politicking was Proposition 6.

Proposition 6 will repeal SB1, costing the state $2.4 billion in this fiscal year and $5.1 billion two years from now. The funding will affect highway and road maintenance, repair projects and transit programs. Some of these improvements are already in motion.

But pulling the plug on billions of dollars’ worth of transportation improvements’ isn’t all Proposition 6 will do, either.

It also changes California law, requiring the Legislature to put any future fuel and vehicle taxes up for the approval of the voters.

As a result of this change, the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office wrote in its statement about the measure: “There could be even less revenue than would otherwise be the case.”

Voters must also keep in mind the fact that Proposition 6 does nothing to ensure a reduction in gas prices.

Most commuters care about gas prices far more than gas taxes. But there’s nothing in Proposition 6 that would force oil companies to lower the price of gasoline in California, and the matter is not of interest to Prop. 6 ’s proponents.

“I would give oil companies a smidge of an edge (of trust) over Sacramento politicians,” said Proposition 6 chairman Carl DeMaio, told our editorial board.

DeMaio also said he would shortly be introducing a new, budgetbusting ballot measure to re-direct weight fees and car sales taxes into road and highway projects. The proceeds of those two resources now go into the state’s general fund, where they fund education, health and human services, and other critical programs.

California’s plan to improve the state’s roads, highways, and transit infrastructure is supported by major business groups, first responders, environmental groups, and nearly every public policy outfit with an interest in good governance.

Proposition 6 is a cynical political ploy that will starve California’s already-crumbling transportation networks, and it may not save drivers any money. Vote no.