NR# 20-A
Date: March 16, 2000
Customer and Taxpayer Services Division

Fourth Quarter 1999 Gasoline Usage Increases

Dean Andal, Chairman, State Board of Equalization (BOE), announced today that gasoline usage during the fourth quarter of 1999 (October, November, and December) increased by 3.71 percent in California compared to the same quarter a year ago, and decreased by 0.03 percent compared to the third quarter 1999.

Gasoline distribution in California for the fourth quarter 1999 totaled 3.727 billion gallons compared to 3.594 billion gallons in the fourth quarter 1998.

The BOE administers the Motor Vehicle Fuel License Tax that generates approximately $2 billion annually for state and local road construction and maintenance. Gasoline distribution for the fourth quarter 1999 yielded some $670.9 million in revenue from the 18-cent-per-gallon tax. In the fourth quarter of 1998, revenue totaled about $646.9 million.

The data is compiled by the BOE from the sales of gasoline distributors to brokers and retailers.

###