California State Senator Ted Gaines (R-El Dorado) on Tuesday issued the following statement regarding his vote against Senate Bill 1, the $52 billion transportation tax proposal that imposes permanent new gas taxes and user fees on motorists: "There seems to be some confusion in the legislature about the war on poverty. We should be fighting to end it, not create it. But with this new gas tax we will be serving up poverty by the gallon to millions of families and businesses around the state."