Prop 6 Gas Tax Repeal sponsors told Breitbart News Monday night they are “cautiously optimistic” the voter initiative will pass despite a 7 to 1 fundraising disadvantage.
The latest campaign disclosure filings for the period through September 22 reveal that the Yes campaign for ‘Proposition 006 – Eliminates Certain Road Repair And Transportation Funding. Requires Certain Fuel Taxes And Vehicle Fees Be Approved By The Electorate. Initiative Constitutional Amendment’ has raised $4,304,011 and has $1,244,330 in the bank. That compares to the No on Prop 6 campaign that raised $30,664,794 and still had $20,032,801 in the bank.’
Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association (HJTA) President Jon Coupal told Breitbart News on Monday night that calls the ballot title assigned to the measure by Democrat Secretary of State Alex Padilla is “Fake News.” He said that he is “cautiously optimistic” the Gas Tax Repeal will pass on the November ballot because when families are aware they will save about $700 in gas taxes and vehicle license fees, they are all for it.
Responding to questions about the funding gap, Coupal agreed it is a “David versus Goliath” contest. But the campaign to qualify the measure only needed about 580,000 signatures but gathered over 1 million from angry voters. Coupal chuckled and added that the first test of how much voters hate the tax was the June recall of OC Democrat State Senator Josh Newman, who got booted by a 60 percent to 40 percent margin.
Chairman Carl DeMaio of the Reform California anti-tax movement is equally optimistic Prop 6 will pass. He emphasized the campaign was hugely aided by Republican candidate for governor John Cox and 17 elected party officials donating money to gather signatures, allowing the repeal campaign to spend its money on effective messaging.
When asked about a Los Angeles Times article claiming the Yes campaign has been abandoned by the Republican Party and short on cash, DeMaio calls the No on Prop 6 campaign a disgrace for taking “$4.5 million from out of state interests and having 8 donors write million-dollar checks.” He added that the Yes campaign expected big corporate and union interests to go all out to keep a $500 million a year tax on families.
The Yes on Prop 6 campaigns reports raising over $2 million mostly from small donors since January and the money continues to pour in. HJTA launched a big radio buy on Monday night and Reform California has scheduled their messaging campaign to hit hard across mixed media starting October 9th, when the first ballot drop hits the mail.
Early polls found repealing the gas repeal is wildly popular, but the ballot measure confusion may be advantageous for the No campaign.