Starting Nov. 1, gas prices are expected to increase by $0.12 a gallon for regular gas and $0.16 for diesel due to the new state tax.
This bill was approved by Governor Jerry Brown in April. According the the California Legislature, “The bill would provide for the deposit of various funds for the program in the Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation Account, which the bill would create in the State Transportation Fund, including revenues attributable to a $0.12 per gallon increase in the motor vehicle fuel (gasoline) tax imposed by the bill with an inflation adjustment, as provided, 50% of a $0.20 per gallon increase in the diesel excise tax.” With gas prices immensely going up, the majority of Citrus College students who drive are going to be affected.
Sydney Arnold, a communications major at Citrus, said she drives at least 30 miles a day between work and school.
“Gas prices shouldn’t be going up,” Arnold said. “It’ll definitely affect me by having to pay for it every other day, pretty much.”
The bill states that with this tax increase, over the next 10 years, California will raise
$59 billion to maintain existing highways and keep them in good condition. The increase in gas prices may help California adopt more efficient transit options over time, but it is going to affect college students who drive to school and work.
Some students at Citrus have jobs that require driving. Chris Solis, a Citrus student, has a job which requires him to drive during his shifts.
“It’s ridiculous because I fill up maybe twice, up to three times a week since I’m a delivery driver, and that’s not good for me at all,” Solis said, “I don’t feel very good about it going up, because I’m so used to it dropping down.”
Although this tax increase is going to affect the majority of Citrus students who drive, the Legislature states, “Failing to act now to address this growing problem means that more drastic measures will be required to maintain our system in the future, essentially passing the burden on to future generations instead of doing our job today.”
