The price of gas has been on the rise nationally thanks to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and President Joe Biden’s energy policies. But California has somehow managed to make the situation even worse, adding another issue to the list of government failures in the Golden State.
On Tuesday, the national price of gas hit $4.17 per gallon, breaking the previous high set in July 2008. But in California, the price of gas has reached $5.44 per gallon, making California the only state in the country where gas costs more than $5.
This is not just because California is an expensive state to live in. According to the New York Times and the Western States Petroleum Association, California’s environmental regulations added $1.27 to the cost of a gallon of gas last month. Roughly 40% of that comes from the state’s gasoline tax, which is the second-highest in the nation and is poised to go up in July, with California Democratic leaders hesitant to pause the planned increase.
California’s soaring gas prices along with its burdensome cost of living create a lose-lose situation. If you aren’t paying to live in an expensive city (where crime is often a problem) such as San Francisco, you’re paying at the pump as you commute in and out every day from more affordable areas.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom wants the Legislature to pause that upcoming gas tax increase, and he is working on a proposal to “put money back in the pockets of Californians to address rising gas prices.” But, in true California fashion, the gas tax will stay. This is California after all: If Newsom wants you to keep your money, you have to give it to him first.
Of course, while Newsom may be concerned about the political costs here, this is exactly what he and California Democrats want. In 2020, Newsom vowed that the state would ban the sale of new gas-powered cars and trucks by 2035. California Democrats may not be as flippant in criticizing people for not buying electric vehicles as the Biden administration, but the attitude is the same. This is a feature of Democratic Party governance, not a bug.
California residents have been willing to stomach the artificially increased cost of living in California. All those taxes and regulations have been given the green light by voters, electing Democrat after Democrat in races up and down the state. California Democrats are failing residents more so than any other state, and they will continue to do so until voters decide they have had enough.
