The price of driving is going up in California, but not if one Huntington Beach Assemblyman can help it.
Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach) says he's filed an initiative to repeal the recently signed $52 billion gas tax hike and move it to a vote that Californians could vote on in 2018.
"In 2010, Jerry Brown said 'there should be no tax increases without a vote of the people.' Repealing the gas tax will simply help him keep his promise to California voters," said Assemblyman Travis Allen in a statement released to the press.
Allen launched a website asking supporters to contribute $5 to help him gather the necessary signatures from registered voters so he can gather the 365,880 signatures needed to put the repeal before voters. The process for gathering signatures can begin once the state attorney general issues a title and summary for his repeal.
Funds that would have been raised by the gas tax could come from other sources, Allen suggests on his website. One proposal for lawmakers to raise revenue including tribal gambling revenue.
Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1 last week which would increase the gas tax by 12 cents starting in November. A new fee based on vehicle value would also be added to car registrations so the state can improve roads maintenance, public transit, as well as other projects.
The earliest the tax could be repealed would be after the 2018 election. Referendums on laws like tax levies or measure passed with an 'urgency clause' (like lawmakers used with the gas tax increase) cannot be held for review by voters.
For now, the gas tax rolls on, but Allen vows to correct what he sees as Brown's failure.
"Jerry Brown's decision to push through the largest gas tax increase in California's history without the approval of voters demonstrated a complete disregard for ordinary Californians. This ballot initiative will correct Brown's failure and allow the people of California to decide for themselves if they want to raise their taxes." Allen writes in the statement.
Allen joined the John and Ken show yesterday to talk more about his new initiative.