patrick.net

CA has the worst roads I have driven in. Even the snow belt states I drive in now have much better roads.

kimtitu says

As far as I know, CA is among the highest gasoline tax states. Is it really necessary to raise the tax again so we can fix the road and do some other projects? Isn't the current gasoline tax already factor in the intention for road repair when it was passed many years ago?

It is only necessary because the fucksticks at the capital misappropriate funds to the nth degree, and not nearly enough residents go and tell them that is not what we want.

Ironman says

Wait.... Hold on.... Marcus claims CA doesn't raise taxes to pay it's bills and never raises it's spending budget.

Are you saying taxes are going up to help pay the pension Marcus is going to get??

Hey Marcus, get your students to do some addition and tell us where all the money is going?

kimtitu says

As far as I know, CA is among the highest gasoline tax states. Is it really necessary to raise the tax again so we can fix the road and do some other projects? Isn't the current gasoline tax already factor in the intention for road repair when it was passed many years ago?

We paid several times over to fix the same roads. Must be one helluva pothole.

CA will never have enough taxes.

My doubt is with this tax, the state may need to hire extra employees to manage, appropriate and disburse the fund or manage the projects. After the roads are fixed, do we get to reduce the gasoline tax and registration fee? It is always easy to increase the tax but when come to time to take it off, they always use all sort of excuses such as people will lose jobs etc. They mix the moral values to highjack the tax but is never an issue to increase it. I really don't mind pay extra to get the road fixed but it should not be an a permanent increase since it was already high enough in the first place.

Yes, "temporary" taxes simply do not get reversed, ever.

I used to take the "Jane Adams Memorial Tollway" to work in Chicagoland. The toll was originally imposed "only long enough to pay back construction costs" but once they had that forced revenue stream going, no fucking way was it ever going to be eliminated. And there is still a toll, 20 years later.

rando says

used to take the "Jane Adams Memorial Tollway" to work in Chicagoland. The toll was originally imposed "only long enough to pay back construction costs" but once they had that forced revenue stream going, no fucking way was it ever going to be eliminated. And there is still a toll, 20 years later.

Yup, I still can't get used to driving in tollways. Many of the midwest states have them. WI surprisingly does not. I drove till VA once and shocking how much the tollways gouge you driving through IL, IN, OH, PA-just shocking.

I just drove the 10 fwy to phoenix. The roads there are amazingly nice. They also have really nice rest stops with employees who seemingly care about keeping the place clean and nice. Regular gas at lowest price was $2.06. Oh and they didn't have that shitty law that stores have to charge you for plastic bags. And most of the people were super nice.

People in California are really really stupid when it comes to politics.

kimtitu says

As far as I know, CA is among the highest gasoline tax states. Is it really necessary to raise the tax again

Yes, The Party wants all your money. Pretext doesn't matter. First it was "for the schools", now it's "for the roads". Rinse, repeat....

I'm adding this story to my long list of reasons not to live in CA.
I'd also add the the Verizzano bridge toll is reason enough to avoid that area as well.