During the Board of Equalization's February meeting, I joined a 3-2 vote to lower the state excise tax on gasoline by 2.2 cents per gallon effective July 1, 2016.
Our vote was simply a matter of fairness. Californians overpaid gas tax last year because of a bizarre formula known as the 'gas tax swap' passed by lawmakers in 2010. Lowering the rate is the right thing to do, and I'm sure Californians will welcome this reduction.
Unfortunately, even after the cut goes into effect, Californians will still pay some of the highest taxes in the nation. What we need now is for lawmakers to simplify our tax laws and look for ways to provide value for the money that Californians send to government.
