California Assembly Speaker Proposes $52 Annual Fee For Road Repairs

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Most California drivers would pay an extra $52 a year under a top lawmaker's proposal for transportation funding.

Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins announced plans Wednesday to raise $2 billion a year for repairs to the state's crumbling roads, bridges and highways.

It includes a road user charge that works out to a dollar a week for most drivers. The San Diego Democrat says Californians are already paying for rough roads through higher vehicle maintenance costs.

Last month Gov. Jerry Brown called on legislators to tackle a $59 billion backlog in infrastructure repairs. New fees would require support from Republican lawmakers because they require two-thirds support.

The state is looking for new ways to fund transportation projects because gasoline tax revenues are falling as more fuel-efficient cars hit the road.