SACRAMENTO (KMJ) — A $52 billion transportation bill – which will see every driver in California paying more to cover the cost – now only needs the Governor Jerry Brown’s signature for it to become law.
Senate Bill 1’s passing saw the urgency clause enacted in the legislature, and both the State Assembly and State Senate worked late into Thursday night to see it through.
“The reality is there’s just extraordinary, overwhelming reasons, why this measure should be passed by this body on a two-thirds vote,” Democratic Senator Bob Hertzberg told fellow legislators. The two-thirds majority is needed for a tax-raising measure.
“The reality is this is not a partisan issue as to what the life of roads and bridges are…California’s population has tripled since Ronald Reagan was Governor and the demand on our roads is extraordinary.”
The Los Angeles area representative was one of the 27 in the State Senate who voted for SB1, in which 11 voted against.
“Have roads, streets, and highways been neglected? Sure they have,” Republican Senator Jim Nielsen told the room. “Why have they been neglected? Because the legislature and Governors – plural – have not made roads, streets, and highways a priority. Now we cry wolf.
“But they were not a priority. Other things in the budget were a priority.”
The Tehama County representative did not give his support to the legislation. But it passed the State Senate, and went on to the State Assembly, where it was also given the green light in a 54 – 26 vote.
“Being a legislature and a policy maker involves compromise – and that’s what we’ve got here tonight,” announced Democratic Assemblymember Adam Gray.
“Let’s all make a tough vote, let’s support keeping our promise to those local communities – who in many cases have taxed themselves to try to repair roads that are in an extreme set of disrepair.”
However Bakersfield’s Rudy Salas was the only Democratic Assemblymember who did not vote along party lines. On Twitter, he revealed that “the families I represent drive too far to jobs that pay too little.”
The families I represent drive too far to jobs that pay too little #SB1
— Rudy Salas Jr (@rudysalasjr) April 7, 2017
The Tulare area representative in the State Assembly Devon Mathis, also cited his constituents in his argument against SB1.
“They can’t afford this. It’s great to hear my colleagues joke about it’s a couple bucks for them. It’s great to hear the Governor joke about a leaky roof…we can’t afford this. We’re taxed enough already.”
Of the other Central Valley representatives in the State Assembly, Adam Gray and Joaquin Arambula both supported SB1. Jim Patterson and Frank Bigelow both voted to oppose it.
But it passed the Assembly, and now the only thing separating the Road Repair and Accountability Act from becoming law – is the signature of Governor Jerry Brown.
If it gets his approval, the legislation would raise the money to pay for the improvement plan over 10 years, which includes raising the base gasoline excise tax by 12 cents – to come into force November 1st 2017.
It would also create a transportation improvement fee based on the value of a vehicle, and impose a $100 Zero Emission Vehicle annual charge.
Hear the report from KMJ’s Dominic McAndrew as it aired:
