California commuters hit with gas tax increase

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Drivers in California are shelling out more money to get to their destinations starting July 1.

Statewide, the gas tax increased by an extra $0.12 per gallon for regular gas, and $0.20 per gallon for diesel. It comes from legislation passed in 2017, which stipulates that the gas tax will go up each subsequent July 1.

California already has the highest gas prices in the country.

Here are the current averages in some Bay Area locations:

• Oakland: $4.35
• San Jose: $4.34
• San Francisco: $4.43
• San Rafael: $4.43

Lawmakers say the state's revenue from the tax goes toward repairing and maintaining roads. See the breakdown of the expected revenue coming in between 2017-2027, and how it's supposed to be allocated:

(A) 15 billion dollars to local street and road maintenance.
(B) Seven billion five hundred million dollars ($7,500,000,000) for transit operations and capital.
(C) Two billion dollars ($2,000,000,000) for the local partnership program.
(D) One billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) for the Active Transportation Program.
(E) Eight hundred twenty-five million dollars ($825,000,000) for the regional share of the State Transportation Improvement Program.
(F) Two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) for local planning grants.
(2) The revenues estimated to be available for allocation under the act to the state are estimated over the next 10 years to be as follows:
(A) Fifteen billion dollars ($15,000,000,000) for state highway maintenance and rehabilitation.
(B) Four billion dollars ($4,000,000,000) for highway bridge and culvert maintenance and rehabilitation.
(C) Three billion dollars ($3,000,000,000) for high priority freight corridors.
(D) Two billion five hundred million dollars ($2,500,000,000) for congested corridor relief.
(E) Eight hundred million dollars ($800,000,000) for parks programs, off-highway vehicle programs, boating programs, and agricultural programs.
(F) Two hundred seventy-five million dollars ($275,000,000) for the interregional share of the State Transportation Improvement Program.
(G) Two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) for freeway service patrols.
(H) Seventy million dollars ($70,000,000) for transportation research at the University of California and the California State University.

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