Leaders of the effort to repeal last year's gas tax increase have released a new report that says the tax and increased vehicle license fees will cost the average working family of four with two cars $650 to $800 more a year.
The report by the conservative-leaning California Policy Center was released Thursday at a Point Loma news conference held by the "Vote Yes On 6" campaign.
"The numbers are truly frightening. Sacramento politicians like to talk about pennies, that this is only pennies, that’s a nice deceptive word, but they don’t really reflect the reality that pennies add up very quickly," said campaign chairman Carl DeMaio.
RELATED: How San Diego Fueled California’s Gas Tax Repeal Effort
The California legislature increased the gas tax by 12 cents per gallon and increased vehicle license fees last year to help pay for infrastructure projects across the state.
Ann Kinner is a small business owner in Point Loma. She believes the working class will bear the brunt of the new tax.
"It seems like every election includes a lot of proposals that add to our tax burden or increase the cost of doing business, particularly for small businesses like mine," Kinner said.
RELATED: California Campaign Watchdog Investigates Gas Tax Campaign
"Vote No on 6," the campaign to keep the new gas tax, disagrees with their opposition's numbers. They cite a report by TRIP, a research arm of the construction trade industry, which says the average family of four with two cars would actually spend only $234 more with the new tax. They believe the working class will suffer if the tax is repealed.
"They’re going to be spending longer times commuting to and from their jobs because of the crumbling infrastructure and without the traffic relief and traffic congestion relief they’ll be spending more time idling on the freeways … It will cost the working class and everyone more money if Proposition 6 passes," said Catherine Hill of the League of California Cities, part of "Vote No on 6" coalition.
