The People Have to Pay the Piper, So a Say on Gas Tax Hike Is Just

Gov. George Deukmejian says the people should vote on any gas-tax increase. He’s right.

Many of the legislative leaders and business people who attended the governor’s summit on transportation believe the legislators would probably pass a higher gas-tax increase than the people would approve. Polls have shown that the people will probably accept a 3-cent increase, perhaps even 5. The argument goes that we need more than that to save and improve the transportation system, so since the people won’t give it to us, we’ll work around them.

Ordinarily, increasing a statewide tax is the Legislature’s job. However, a gas-tax increase at this time is different. There are several reasons why the people should vote on this tax increase.

Even if the gas-tax increase passed, it could not be spent without a change in the constitutionally mandated state spending limit. Either the limit must be raised to accommodate the increase in gas taxes or the gas taxes must be declared user fees outside the spending limit. The only way an adjustment can be made to the spending limit is by a vote of the people. Therefore, since the people must make the decision on changing the limit, they should also be allowed to make a decision on the reason the limit is being changed.

Second, the people had two opportunities to both change the spending limit and provide a boost for transportation with Propositions 71 and 72 last June. Both measures were defeated. Since the people have been consulted already on this issue, their approval should be sought again. Otherwise, it would be as if the government said to the people, “You didn’t do what we wanted but we’ll take the tax money from you anyway.” Such an elitist attitude could only damage the tenuous relationship between the voters and their representatives.

Admittedly, by going to the people, the pro gas-tax leaders may have a tougher time getting the increase they believe is necessary. They will have to do a good selling job, but they will have an advantage. The gas tax is different from a general fund tax because we know its purpose and we can be told about specific projects for which the revenue will be spent.

The legislators and transportation interests will have to communicate how important the transportation system is, why the costs are so great and why it’s imperative to invest in the system now to avoid collapse.

The value of compelling a vote of the people for a gas-tax increase is that the legislators and interested parties will be forced into closer examination on how they plan to spend the people’s money. Because it will be a tough sell, they will have to examine their programs closely; they will have to tell the people what improvements or repairs will be purchased with the tax money and they will be forced to look for ways to economize.

Voting on statewide tax increases occurred as recently as the last statewide election when we voted on a cigarette tax increase of $600 million. The gas tax would generate twice the money and affect more people.

Finally, of course, it will be the people who must pay the piper. Giving them a say is just.

Former Gov. Hiram Johnson and his fellow California Progressives endorsed the motto: “The power to tax is the essence of government. The control of taxation is the control of government.” Should not the people control the government?