As the most populous state and the largest gasoline market in the nation, success in reducing oil consumption there could have national repercussions.

I agree completely, but Prop 87 will not do this quickly enough or do enough.

A quote from Ed Tennyson on what HAS WORKED in California

I have just gone through motor fuel consumption for 2002 and find California at 509 gallons per year per capita. That is up only one percent from ten years prior. The nation is up 14 percent. to 575 gallons per capita per year. Saving 66 gallons per capita (apparently) California people are savng two billion gallons of motor fuel a year, worth $ 6 billion per year with national defense advantages as well,.
This is a very crude measure but it does suggest a payoff for more electric rail operations. Calllofornia has vastly improved its rail transit service over the past decade with expansions in all major areas.
Not only that but in every case except San Jose [my edit from Santa Clara] the new rail lines are moving people at less cost per passenger- mile than buses or automobiles saving still more money.

Below is a list of projects that WILL SAVE GAS IN CALIFORNIA and will NOT GET FEDERAL FUNDING FOR YEARS

Prop 87 monies could build these projects promptly with minimal (say 20% instead of 50% federal funding like Seattle) or no FTA funds.  Unlike ethanol, Urban Rail becomes more useful the worse things become with oil.  In most cases, all one has to do is buy more vehicles to expand capacity (LA Blue Line may be an exception and require some capital improvements to line).

More Urban Rail (quickly) is the proven method to reduce CA oil dependence !

Two of the three highest impact projects in the US are in Los Angeles

Light Rail Connector between Gold and Blue Lines
Red Line subway extension down to UCLA and then to Santa Monica

Also (not comphrensive list)
LA - Vermont subway, Green Line to LAX and then north to Santa Monica, capacity expansions for Blue lIne, Expo & Gold line extensions, streetcar feeders in downtown, "shelved" plans for hundreds of electric trolley buses

San Diego - North extension and then West Extension from UCSD

San Jose - BART to SJ, Light Rail extensions south

Bay Area - eBART, BART north to Marin County, third BART tunnel, electrify Caltran from San Jose to SF, more trolley lines in SF

Sacramento has more expansion plans on drawing board

Orange County may revisit Light Rail as Peak Oil approaches