California voters reject measure to repeal gas, diesel taxes

California voters rejected a ballot measure to repeal the recently passed gas tax hike slated for the repair of state roads, bridges and highways, media outlets reported.

The vote clocked in with 55 percent of voters opposed and 45 percent in favor, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Proposition 6 would have nixed state efforts to collect around $5 billion in annual tax revenue that was approved in 2017 as part of Senate Bill 1, a massive transportation package supported by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The law raised the state’s gasoline tax by 12 cents, from 29.7 cents to 41.7 cents a gallon, beginning last Nov. 1. The tax will go up another 5.6 cents next July 1.

Separately, the law raised the state tax on diesel fuel from 16 cents to 36 cents a gallon. It also raised the diesel fuel sales tax. 

Although the trucking industry will take a big hit from the diesel taxes, the California Trucking Association was part of the coalition lobbying against the repeal. Truckers came on board after the transportation bill was modified allowing trucking companies to take more time to transition to cleaner trucks, the Sacramento Bee reported.