[NC Republican Party Chairman emailed me this response to George Boardman’s 29oct17 column for publication. It appears that Mr Boardman missed an important point or two on the new CA gas tax. gjr]
George,
Your column yesterday was OK but very incomplete and inflamatory. You failed to mention why there are no funds for road repairs in the gas tax account. The gas taxes collected were diverted by the super majority in Sacramento from the gas tax account to the General Fund and spent on anything and everything the General Fund covers. Thus, road repair disbursements could not be made to counties this year.
Of course, the natural reaction of those now in the super majority in Sacramento when there are insufficient funds is to raise taxes. So, gas taxes will rise tomorrow, diesel fuel taxes will rise, and soon we all will pay about $100 more on average per year for auto registration. Anything that is transported in our state will cost more, leading to an inflationary impact. And, next year under the new law, the gas tax will rise again. The new law has NO provisions to assure the collected gas taxes will not continue to be diverted to the General Fund. Plus, the increase in gas tax is a regressive tax that hits lower income folks much harder than middle and upper incomes. That is because many people cannot afford to live where they work, thus must drive longer distances.
So, your statement is really outrageous where you say the opponents have no answer to get money to fix our roads and want to return to horse and buggy days. That is crazy and defamatory (but I am not filing charges). The answer to where to get the funds for needed road repairs is to stop the raids on the gas tax funds. Simple as that.
Bob Hren
Chair, Nevada County Republican Party


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