With California’s high gas prices contributing to the record 9.1 percent inflation rate announced last week, concerns persist about why Democratic lawmakers have failed to act on immediate means of relief.
Gas prices hit $5 a gallon in early March, and $6 in May, and one study shows that for families making less than $40,000, they could spend more than 25 percent of their after-tax income at the gas pump.
It’s still not known when prices could decrease, even as a group of Sacramento lawmakers press for relief, Senate Republican Leader, Scott Wilk, R – Santa Clarita, told the Northern California Record by email.
“Republicans have been fighting for over a year for a suspension of our gas tax,” Wilk said. “Democrats, despite words to the contrary, had no intention of giving Californians any relief at the pump. They just ran out the clock until July 1 – when the tax went up again – by doing nothing.”
That inaction has led gas prices here to go up another 3 cents. Nor have legislative Democrats agreed to suspend the state’s excise gas tax, which would save drivers 51 cents per gallon, a significant relief to those who pay a sizable portion of their income just to fill up.
The state’s goal to induce more people into driving electric vehicles is difficult when many can’t afford the baseline $60,000 EV price tag.
The state’s solution to send rebate cards to residents isn’t projected to happen until later this summer.
“Ironically, President Biden understands the value of suspending the gas tax, but Democrats in Sacramento are completely tone deaf to the hardships high gas prices create for most Californians,” Wilk said.
The Senate Republican Caucus roadmap charting gas tax progress provides a detailed analysis and states: “California has a record high budget surplus. Infrastructure projects can still be funded without the need to drain more of your taxpayer dollars at the pump.”