Californians will stand for all kinds of restrictions on their freedom – but increase vehicle fees or gas taxes and they get really angry. Just ask former Gov. Gray Davis, who was recalled in 2003 over the issue.

In early April California legislators passed a massive transportation budget that included a 12 cents a gallon INCREASE in gasoline tax, bringing the total tax paid per gallon of gas in the Golden State close to 80 cents. SB 1 also imposes a vehicle tax, and the NEW taxes contained in the bill total $52 BILLION.

And who will be the most affected? The working class.

(This is what happens when Democrats have nothing standing in the way of implementing their warped wish lists.)

One GOP lawmaker nailed it:

“This institution is sick,” said Assemblyman James Gallagher, R-Yuba City. “You have to be drunk to support this measure tonight – drunk on the power that is ruining this institution, and that is making it harder and harder to live in this state.”

Conservatives in the state (yes, they exist) are fuming, and looking at a multi-faceted approach to correct the issue, one of which is to break the Democrats supermajority in Sacramento. Democrat Josh Newman was elected to the California Senate in November, defeating GOP Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang in an extremely close race – making him an attractive recall target.

On April 19, recall papers were filed against Newman by a group led by San Diego talk show host Carl DeMaio. The group has 160 days to gather close to 64,000 signatures of registered voters in the district in order to qualify for a special election.

Newman is already decrying the move as coming from out-of-town special interests, but he should never underestimate the anger of a California voter who has to pay more at the gas tank.