Roseville Blames Higher Gas Prices For Deficit
ROSEVILLE (CBS13) — This California city is blaming the new state gas tax for going over budget, about a six-figure deficit.
"I'm not surprised because it's hitting everyone's budgets that way," said Andrew Pimpkin of Roseville. "Watching it incrementally explode into what it is today."
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It's a price that seems to be on everyone's mind.
"I spent a small fortune on it in a car that doesn't get bad mileage," said pizza driver Brandon Johnson.
And now cities like Roseville are starting to also feel the effects. As the city's fiscal year comes to close its gas bill is way over budget.
Fuel for Roseville's buses, fire engines, and 600 other vehicle fleet was supposed to cost $2 million. But the states fuel tax which took effect last November added 12 cents to each gallon of gas and 20 cents to diesel.
Now city leaders say it's going to cost an extra $143,000 and are planning better now for next year.
"We're looking at about a 7 percent increase overall in fiscal '19 for fuel costs," said Rhon Herndon, Public Works Director for the city.
But the pain at the pump does have some benefit.
"We are experiencing increased cost in fuel, but on the other side of the coin we are receiving on average an additional $3 million per year in revenue from SB1 to help maintain our roadways for the public," he said.
Not all drivers can agree.
"Hopefully our new governor soon will do something about it," said local resident Lisa Crowder.
The city says there will be no fee increases to pay for the extra costs and the money will come out of each individual department budget.