No tax increases or fees and holds Sacramento accountable

SACRAMENTO – Assembly Transportation Committee Vice Chair Vince Fong (R-Kern County) announced the release of the Traffic Relief and Road Improvement Act (TRRIP)--AB 496--a plan by Assembly Republicans that will restore and enhance the state’s transportation infrastructure without raising taxes or fees. TRRIP provides $7.8 billion in transportation funding and is based on three key principles: (1) transportation funds should only be used for transportation; (2) protect the middle class--no tax or fee increases; and (3) accountability and make government more efficient.

“This is a comprehensive and responsible transportation funding plan to address a long overdue problem in this state,” said Fong. “Every day Californians suffer in congested traffic on a daily basis. This plan utilizes the revenues we already collect through our transportation system to fix our roads and to build more lanes as quickly as possible.”

TRRIP provides $5.6 billion each year by dedicating all vehicle sales and insurance taxes to transportation projects, which are currently diverted to the General Fund. TRRIP would generate another $2.2 billion by immediately repaying money that was raided from transportation funds during the recession. This funding package supports repairs to local roads, capacity improvements and traffic relief, highway maintenance, and public transit projects.

TRRIP also devotes 30 percent of its funds towards traffic relief projects. Existing proposals by Capitol Democrats currently provide zero new money for relieving gridlock despite billions proposed in tax and fee increases.

The measure also includes reforms to ensure taxpayer money is being spent effectively. It removes regulatory red tape that unnecessarily slows down street repairs, improves accountability by establishing a Transportation Inspector General, and provides audits of major transportation projects to ensure the billions of additional dollars going are being spent efficiently and appropriately.

Assemblyman Fong authors largest transportation funding proposal in current legislative session