A judge changed the description of a ballot initiative to repeal a law that increases gas tax in California. Attorney General Xavier Becerra wrote the original title and summary of the ballot initiative.
On Monday, Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley said Becerra’s description of the ballot initiative was fundamentally flawed.
Becerra’s original ballot title stated, “Eliminates Recently-Enacted Road Repair and Transportation Funding by Repealing Revenues Dedicated for those Purposes.”
Based on the title, the ballot initiative aims to eliminate transportation funding by repealing revenues. However, that was not accurate. Its objective is to repeal the huge increase in gas tax, diesel taxes, and vehicle fees. It also aims to eliminates transportation program funded by those fees and taxes.
In his preliminary ruling last week, Judge Frawley said the ballot description was “misleading.” Voters unfamiliar with the ballot initiative will not understand its real objective. He noted that the words “tax” and “fees” were missing in the title. The judge decided to rewrite the ballot description.
The highest gas tax increase in the history of California
Republican Assemblyman Travis Allen proposed the ballot initiative, which aims “repeal the highest gas tax increase” in the history of California.
