Most California drivers would pay an extra $52 a year under a proposal to raise $2 billion a year to fix the state’s crumbling roads, bridges and highways.
Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins’ proposal released in February didn’t spell out how the money would be collected, but she said the fee could be charged as part of insurance plans and vehicle registration. The fees could be higher for trucks and for electric vehicle drivers who don’t pay gas taxes.
The San Diego Democrat’s plan responds to a call by Gov. Jerry Brown for the Legislature to tackle a $59 billion backlog in infrastructure repairs.
The shortfall is driven in part by declining gasoline tax revenues as more fuel-efficient cars use roads that continue to age and deteriorate.
A California Department of Transportation review found 16 percent of the state’s highway miles were in poor condition in 2013. That’s already impacting driver’s wallets, Atkins said.
The proposal would need Republican support because a two-thirds vote of the Legislature is required to pass new fees.
Topics California Legislation
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