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Economy
Low Gas Prices Bad for California Roads
2016-03-08
Link is to an industry blog; they cribbed it from the Mercury News, which requires registration.
The California Metropolitan Transportation Commission decided last month to trim the state's transportation improvement plan by $754 million, in advance of the expectation that lower gas taxes and lower oil prices would have a severe effect on state tax-derived revenue. The loss was estimated to be $1.1 billion.

As a result, it is now clear that many high-profile projects are at risk of being severely delayed or cancelled outright. It is being characterized by state officials as potentially "catastrophic" to the state's highway and bridge system.
And the poor get poorer.
About 225 shovel-ready transportation projects across the state are threatened this year alone. "We're taking another whacking," a spokesman said, which marks the largest scaling-back in nearly 20 years, with a further $328.3 million likely to be cut next year. "Big projects will be pushed back, but everybody is going to feel this, especially when the big potholes in front your house don't get filled."
Posted by:Bobby

#19  After the main interstate system was built in Illinois, the Illinois DOT folks said they needed a 'toll' for vehicles only until the roads were paid off, which they figured to be by 1965/66.

Same story applies to the Mass. Turnpike, circa 1996.
Posted by: Raj   2016-03-08 23:36  

#18  Lots of hybrids and electric cars aren't paying their fair share of the gas tax. California politicians have known this for some time and have tried to push for a tax by mile deal but the voters have shot them down whenever it comes up.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2016-03-08 23:15  

#17  Illinois Toll Roads - After the main interstate system was built in Illinois, the Illinois DOT folks said they needed a 'toll' for vehicles only until the roads were paid off, which they figured to be by 1965/66.

My Dad (90 this year) still chuckles about that. I remember him telling me at the time while we were traveling on the 'I' to Chicago (1959 or so) and pulling away from a toll booth, that Illinois never would stop collecting the tolls.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2016-03-08 21:50  

#16  #14, 15. True dat
Posted by: Frank G   2016-03-08 20:25  

#15  Rex, just like Social Security.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia    2016-03-08 18:44  

#14  When first proposed, it was stressed that any CA gas tax would reside in its own ledger, as all of those confiscated taxes would go only to road upkeep. Once passed, those taxes were moved to the general fund so all that money could be siphoned off. And it was and continues to be to this day.
Posted by: Rex Mundi   2016-03-08 18:20  

#13  Good for the consumers.
Posted by: JohnQC   2016-03-08 18:12  

#12  Does anybody remember the Nov 2005 Congressional hearings about how big oil was sticking it to the American consumer? Senators were shrilly grilling the oil executes. I remember one of the oil execs, tiring of the tirade, said that the industry made about a penny per gallon in profit. If Congress wanted to stop price-gouging the public then lower the gasoline tax.

The Senatorial screaming increased in volume. Sigh.
Posted by: Sven the pelter   2016-03-08 18:02  

#11  They can tax miles with your odometer.

GPS would allow them to not only set tax rates for specific roads and time of use, but anything on the road - bicycles, electric cars and carts, skateboards, your morning jog. Why, they could even figure how to tax you for simply being on the road stuck in traffic.

And all of your travel information will be e-mailed to a DOT server. It is quite safe there, sure sure.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2016-03-08 17:51  

#10  The gubbamint bitch is cars are more fuel-efficient, buying less gas/mile.

Mileage standards mandated by the Feral Govt. Hey, maybe they could use irony as a fuel additive!

The Green Final Solution is to run cars on coal or uranium, thereby driving gas tax income to zero.
Posted by: SteveS   2016-03-08 17:34  

#9  But at least they'll have high-speed rail, so Cal. has that going for them...
Posted by: Raj   2016-03-08 17:03  

#8  all this while Billions go to the Bakersfield to Merced High Speed Rail line
Posted by: lord garth   2016-03-08 16:24  

#7  Ain't that the truth Frank.

I'm expecting a law requiring GPS for all cars so the gubmint can track all our miles and send us a bill.

The Euros were putting up their own satellites to do this but I've lost track of that. Californicate will do it any day I expect.
Posted by: AlanC   2016-03-08 15:17  

#6  The CA gas tax is going from $0.36/Gal to $0.395/Gal on July 1. Note PER GALLON. If gas prices are lower, it makes driving cheaper and more affordable, which should raise revenue. The gubbamint bitch is cars are more fuel-efficient, buying less gas/mile. Striving for a mileage tax, not a fuel tax.
Posted by: Frank G   2016-03-08 15:01  

#5  Gas was about at least $1 less in Parump, NV (fairly remote) than it was in Barstow, CA (not so remote), the last time I went through there a few years ago (~$3.72 vs. ~$2.64).

I'm sure it's about the same 'percentage-wise' price difference today
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2016-03-08 14:44  

#4  The CA upper crust can afford multi-million $ crap shacks, but can't afford to maintain the roads leading up to their driveways. Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2016-03-08 14:29  

#3  The headline is wrong. California politicians are bad for California roads. Gas prices are a convenient excuse.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2016-03-08 13:28  

#2  ...more direct graft at the polls paying the voter directly with 'free stuff' rather than the usual 'raising all boats' through the middle man.

to trim the state's transportation improvement plan

Improve, hell. Just maintain what you got which apparently can't even do.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2016-03-08 12:50  

#1  As I understand it, California has highest taxes in USA---why not use some for road renovation?
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2016-03-08 12:07  

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