Thursday, April 6, 2017

"Swing Vote" Lawmakers Now Stand to Gain Millions For Their Districts In Last-minute AB-1 Deal-Making

"Swing Vote" Lawmakers Now Stand to Gain Millions For Their Districts In Last-minute AB-1 Deal-Making

Outrageous.  The Sacramento Bee reports today (Thurs. 4/6/17) that Gov. Brown and Legislative Leaders began striking last-minute $$$$$ big bucks deals with "swing-vote" politicians to pass AB-1, the unpopular gas and diesel tax bill that would raise gas and diesel taxes in perpetuity, and would also set a $100 DMV fees for electric cars. 
Faced with faltering votes in the State Assembly for gas tax bill AB-1, Brown and other legislative leaders are striking "deals giving nearly $1 Billion in road project funding to the districts of wavering lawmakers."(Sacramento Bee, 4/6/17)
AB-1 (also called SB-1) would increase gas and diesel taxes the first year and then, beginning in 2020, adjust every year with inflation in perpetuity - forever.  There is no sunset - no timeline like other taxes of 5 or 10 years allowing the public to audit and vet how their transportation dollars have been spent. AB-1 is forever. It includes a $100 DMV fee for  electric cars. The public does not get to vote on it. AB-1 is decided by politicians in Sacramento.
Meanwhile, the billions we already pay in transportation fees have been funneled into the General Fund and diverted. The result? AB-1.
Polls show AB-1 is very unpopular with the public, and that's why its passage was wavering in the assembly today.  If AB-1 now passes because of favors curried to swing vote politicians, I do not believe it will not go over well with Californian voters, especially lower income and middle class Californians who will feel the most pain from AB-1.
Tell Sacramento NO to swing-vote deal-making. Contact our Representative Marc Levine, using the contact information below.   

TAKE ACTION NOW: CALL Assembly Member Marc Levine and tell him to vote NO on AB-1.

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