Gov. Brown has signed the gasoline tax increase, promising it will fix California’s aging roads and bridges. Senate Bill 1 was signed Friday with the plan to divide revenues about evenly between state highways and local roads. The new law calls for gas taxes to go up 12 cents a gallon, and diesel 20 cents come November. Registration fees will also increase. None of Kern County’s state legislators voted for it, with complaints ranging from it hurts the poor to those who don’t believe the money won’t be siphoned away for other reasons.

Sean Michael Lisle