California Gas Tax Comes With Pain At The Pump, Promise Of Better Roads

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — California's gas tax increase goes into effect on Wednesday, leaving consumers paying an extra 12 cents per gallon at the pump.

Lawmakers say revenue generated from the tax will go to repair state and local roads, bridges and culverts.

The new tax adding a dozen cents for each gallon of gas—20 cents more for diesel—has a lot of drivers heated, and a gubernatorial candidate determined to repeal it.

"I'm not happy with it, and I think it's crap," said Richard DeSantis.

The tax is a big hit to the wallet for him, as he drives at least 100 miles a day for work.

"I probably buy two to three tanks of gas a week, and now it's gonna cost more, and I have to raise my prices, which doesn't help the economy," Desantis added.

Keith Davis didn't know about the new tax and said the 12-cent hike has him reconsidering his four-door sedan.

"It's time to get a motorcycle," Davis said.

An average-sized car's gas tank holds about 12 gallons of gas, meaning drivers will pay somewhere below $1.50 more each time they fill up.

Assemblyman Travis Allen is behind a new movement to repeal the tax and is running for governor.

"We already sit in the worst of the nation traffic, it won't get any better after Wednesday, and we are paying a lot more for it," said Travis Allen.

Allen says not only will it hurt Californians financially; he says the tax won't deliver on its promise.

"Less than 70 cents on every dollar will actually go towards fixing our roads which means a full 30 percent can be used any way the governing legislature sees fit," Allen said.

Caltrans says $5 billion in projects have already been expedited, including Highway 50 between Watt Avenue and the Interstate 5 interchange, as well as Interstate 80 near Madison Avenue.

Meanwhile, drivers rushed to the pump to save a buck or so before the gas tax started.

"I think I'm in the wrong business, man. I need to be selling gas," Davis said.

Allen says he needs 366,000 signatures to place the gas tax on the 2018 ballot. He'll be rallying on the Capitol steps Wednesday, to push the repeal.