Assembly Republicans last week once again gathered in front of a Sacramento area gas station ahead of a pivotal vote to suspend the gas tax.
For the third time this year, state legislators struck down a bipartisan effort to provide consumers immediate relief at the pump by suspending the 50 cent state tax on each gallon of gas. The California Problem Solvers Caucus proposal, AB 2457, would have suspended the gas tax for 12 months, creating a reasonable but meaningful enforcement mechanism to ensure oil companies did not pocket the tax cut for themselves.
Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher, of Yuba City, along with Assembly members Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin), Laurie Davies (R- Laguna Niguel), Steven Choi (R-Irvine), and Thurston Smith (R-Apple Valley) staged the press conference on May 25 to argue that California families are unfairly burdened by the highest gas prices and highest gas taxes in the country.
“When Republicans first proposed suspending the gas tax on January 12, gas prices were just $4.58 on average in California according to AAA…if you tally up how much Californians would have saved since then if we had enacted the gas tax suspension, that number comes to about $2,400 dollars per person. If you are looking at a family, that number nearly doubles. That’s a far cry from the small checks the Governor has been proposing to send. Californians deserve better. In some parts of the state, gas is nearly $8 a gallon. That is unacceptable and unsustainable for our communities… enough is enough.”
California Democrats, who blocked a vote on AB 2457, have largely opposed providing gas pump relief, either by suspending the fuel tax or sending every vehicle owner some cash. Instead, Democrats have proposed spending $30 billion on infrastructure projects and social programs.
Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) was one of a few California Democrats to support a gas tax holiday.
In his response to Governor Gavin Newsom’s revised 2022-23 budget proposal in early, May Gray said with a budget surplus approaching $100 billion, the excuses needed to stop.
“This is no longer an either-or conversation,” Gray stated. “The surplus makes it clear we have more than enough revenue to pass a gas tax holiday and send rebate checks to working families.”
“How many more gas price records does California have to break before Legislative Democrats take action?” Choi asked. “How much longer can we ask hardworking families to choose between filling up their gas tank or buying groceries? I emphatically urge the Legislature to suspend the gas tax and give these families a 50 cent break now.”
At the May 25 press conference, Gallagher said according to an independent financial analysis, suspending the gas tax would be the best way to provide financial relief from the record-high gas prices.
“We have been pushing for a gas tax suspension since the beginning, when we introduced a bill in January and pushed for a vote and brought a vote to the floor… we need to provide this relief. People have waited far too long… we are now on day 77 of the Governor promising to provide gas tax relief,” Gallagher said. ■