By Baruch Feigenbaum in The Orange County Register

June 17, 2016

Gov. Jerry Brown says California has a $57 billion backlog in transportation-related repairs and, once again, he says the state needs to raise taxes to pay for them.

The governor is right in one way: California’s state-controlled roads are in abysmal shape. Reason Foundation’s most recent Annual Highway Report found California ranked 49th out of 50 states in urban pavement condition and 36th in rural pavement condition. But, it’s not at all clear how raising taxes would help. California already spends more than nearly every state in the country when evaluated per mile of state-controlled roadway. From road maintenance to state highway office administration costs, California spends more than most.

Read more at The Orange County Register