CA gas tax increased 3.5 cents today

Silicon Mercury News/Gary Richards, 6/29/13. "State gas tax roses 3.5 cents, giving California the highest in the nation."

O M G !

"Nobody likes high gas prices -- or taxes -- and Californians are about to get hit with both when a 3.5-cent increase in the state gasoline tax kicks in Monday.  That will give the Golden State the highest gas tax in the nation -- nearly 72 cents a gallon.

....  The Legislature gave the tax board the authority to raise the excise tax by a simple majority vote. If a tax had gone before voters as a special tax, it would have needed a two-thirds majority.

....  Taxable sales of gas in California have fallen from 15.9 billion gallons in 2006 to 14.6 billion gallons last year, a result of the recession and vehicles that get better mileage. That translated to a $157 million shortfall in revenue last year."  Read article.

Related -  Fix Pacifica article reprint, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/28/13.  CA portion of gas tax increasing to 39.5 cents, 7/1/13.  Note:  Photograph from Scholastic.com, (Stockphotos).

Posted by Kathy Meeh