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MONEY FOR STREET REPAIRS
Plan would give Manteca $2.5M annually
TRAFFIC AIRPORT MANTECA2 2-12-17 copy
Rough pavement is shown on Airport Way at the bridge across the 120 Bypass. - photo by HIME ROMERO/The Bulletin

The latest plan to raise money for California’s deteriorating roads could send $2.5 million annually to Manteca to upgrade streets riddled with cracks and potholes.
But in order for that to happen, the California Legislature would have to pass a plan that would:
uup the gas tax you pay at the pump by 20 cents a gallon.
utack $38 onto your annual car registration renewal fee.
uslap a $165 annual tax on the registration of electric vehicles under a State Senate version or $100 under a State Assembly version.
“People who drive zero emission vehicles aren’t paying anything toward maintaining and repairing roads,” Stephen Qualls, a public outreach employee with the California League of Cities, told the Manteca City Council Tuesday while providing an update on legislative initiatives.
Qualls said part of the proposal is to tap into undesignated greenhouse gas taxes levied on gasoline at the refinery. That would provide Manteca with one-time funds for roads of $385,000.
The San Joaquin County’s annual share of the road funding proposal — should it pass and stay in its current firm — would be $23 million.
The 38.13 cent per gallon gas tax the state collects is the only way funds for state road maintenance are collected. Part of that money is shared with cities and counties. California motorists also pay 18.4 cents per gallon federal excess tax as well as applicable state and local sales taxes.
It’s been more than 20 years since the state gas tax was raised. There are 24.4 million registered automobiles and 34.3 million registered vehicles including trucks and motorcycles registered in the state.
Manteca currently receives $1.6 million a year as its share of California gas tax for road maintenance. That is augmented with $1.1 million from Measure K, the countywide half cent transportation sales tax.
The plan as proposed would increase Manteca’s gas tax receipts by 150 percent and almost double the amount of money available for ongoing street maintenance.