Instead of a new tax, why not bring tax money back to SLO County?

Let me see if I understand this right: Measure J has been put on the ballot in San Luis Obispo County by the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments to raise our local sales tax by a half cent to bring in funds for the improvement of our local roads, as well as other transportation needs.

This is necessary because the state has diverted taxes and fees from the gasoline tax, driver’s license fees, vehicle license fees, greenhouse emissions tax and truck weight tax. These diverted tax monies are transferred by the state to the general fund for bullet trains, public pensions and a bloated Caltrans. As I recall, these taxes and fees were actually put in place to flow back to the cities and counties for their needs.

Instead of adding one more tax, why doesn’t the SLO Council of Governments spearhead a state-wide ballot proposition to restrict the state Legislature from diverting the existing taxes and fees from the above mentioned sources, and require the state to send those tax dollars to the cities and counties as they were originally intended. Why should I vote to increase my taxes when there is no effort by anyone to rectify a blatant confiscation of earmarked taxes? I will be voting “no” on Measure J.

This story was originally published November 6, 2016 at 7:28 PM with the headline "Instead of a new tax, why not bring tax money back to SLO County?."