On Nov. 8, the California Air Resources Board (CARB), a non-elected body appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, voted to update the state’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, requiring fuel producers to make cleaner fuels or buy carbon credits. The result? A potential gas price hike of up to 65 cents per gallon.
Let that sink in: unelected government appointees just voted to make gas more expensive for you.
At a time when Californians are already struggling with some of the highest gas prices in the nation, this latest decision will only add fuel to the fire. The cost of living in our state has been rising across the board—housing, groceries, and basic services are all becoming more expensive. Now, with the holiday season around the corner, families who are already feeling the squeeze will face even higher costs at the pump.
Unfortunately, the timing of this announcement feels like a lump of coal in every Californian’s Christmas stocking. Gov. Newsom and his allies in Sacramento have been pushing a specific agenda to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035. By raising the price of gas, the governor hopes to advance his plan for all drivers to switch to electric vehicles. This latest CARB move is part of his strategy, and will bear consequences for working families living paycheck to paycheck. For some, it’s a choice between driving to work or buying gifts for the holidays.
This policy isn’t just a burden on fuel producers—it’s a direct hit to the pocketbooks of consumers. The costs will inevitably be passed down to you as consumers, at the pump. CARB itself has projected that gas prices could rise by at least 47 cents per gallon within the next year. Some analysts are warning that the price spike could reach as high as 65 cents. And that’s just the beginning. Over the next decade, these price increases will compound, making it even harder for families to afford basic necessities.
Sacramento claims that this is part of a broader effort to transition to clean energy, but this policy is being pushed through without the kind of transparency or accountability that Californians deserve. The 14 board members on CARB are making decisions about your pocketbook without any say from the public’s elected leaders or a democratic initiative made available for voters to decide. It’s a textbook case of government overreach.
As a State Assemblymember, I believe it is the duty of every elected official to fight for the interests of their constituents. That’s why, along with my colleagues in the Assembly, I pushed to delay CARB’s vote and allow Californians the chance to weigh in on this important issue. Our efforts ended up being blocked by those in a supermajority who are too comfortable with an expensive and unpractical agenda.
As an alternative to forcibly increasing taxes without a democratic decision-making process, several of us are supporting efforts that would actually bring gas prices down. There are many of us, in a bipartisan manner, who are pushing for alternative solutions to bring down gas costs, including bills to exempt gas from overbearing regulations that add 30 cents to each gallon, and a bill to suspend the state’s gas tax for one year.
Another bill would require the California Energy Commission to regularly publicize California’s gas prices versus the national average. Lastly, there is a way for state regulators to allow refiners to produce more of the winter-blend than the summer-blend, which would also result in lower gas prices.
This is a wake-up call for all of us. Higher gas prices are coming, and when they do, we will know exactly where the proposal came from. It’s time for our leaders to start prioritizing the real struggles of working families and stop putting a costly agenda ahead of the people they’re supposed to serve.
The fight isn’t over. I will continue to work to hold these proposed changes accountable and demand better for California families. These tax increases are a direct attack on the middle class and the lower-income residents of our state. It’s time to move forward with common-sense solutions focused on improving the livelihood of all Californians.
Read the Full Article: https://www.picketfencemedia.com/sanclementetimes/soapbox/laurie-s-latest-political-appointees-unilaterally-vote-to-increase-gas-tax/article_6fbdd3de-a78c-11ef-912d-7315e9a1abc5.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawGtm8ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHdrVWHH4hqkdOCRTfOZUXXfBjcjxU4guYs1ti3AVahqTLtImC-VuOvXOqg_aem_Hsf9bcWFTqjC-nkwDW3x9g