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An OC Democrat was ousted over his gas tax vote. Is it a sign a broader repeal will pass in November?
FILE: Judy Rees signals drivers into a Mobil gas station near I-5 in Encinitas to get them to sign a petition to repeal the state's new gas tax.
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An OC Democrat was ousted over his gas tax vote. Is it a sign a broader repeal will pass in November?
Democratic state Senator Josh Newman was ousted from an Orange County district that’s typically red Tuesday night. Voters recalled him over his support for raising the gas tax to fund billions in transportation projects.
As Republican-backers hoped, popular anger over the tax hike proved to be an animating issue for voters. And it's poised to do the same in the November general election, when voters will decide whether to repeal Senate Bill 1, the legislation which increased driver fees.
But observers note there are key differences between primary voters in a traditionally conservative Orange County district and those likely to turn out statewide in the fall. Still, recent polling shows a narrow majority of voters support recalling the gas tax increase.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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