California House Republicans are urging Governor Gavin Newsom to halt the upcoming gas tax increases, arguing that Californians already face the highest gas prices in the country and need relief from additional costs.
California House Republicans Urge Governor Newsom to Halt Gas Tax Increase Amid Rising Fuel Cost
According to a published article in the Washington Examiner, House Republicans from California are asking Governor Gavin Newsom to stop the upcoming gas tax increase to help people who are paying high gas prices. In a letter sent on Thursday the representatives led by Rep. David Valadao said that Californians already pay the highest gas prices in the country and that the extra tax would make things worse. Valadao said stopping the gas tax increase would give people some relief.
The lawmakers are worried about the yearly gas tax increase which they say would add 60 cents. But a spokesperson for Newsom said this number is wrong and that the real increase is from 57.9 cents to 59.6 cents per gallon. The spokesperson also said gas prices in California have been going down for the last five weeks and that the letter’s claims were not accurate and were influenced by Big Oil interests.
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California Lawmakers Demand Halt to Gas Tax Hike as Fuel Prices Reach Record Highs
Furthermore, California has the highest average gas price in the country at $5.15 per gallon. The state’s gas tax is set to go up in July followed by another increase in September because of new carbon emissions rules. Valadao and his colleagues have asked Newsom to stop the gas tax increase before but it hasn’t worked yet. They keep saying that these tax hikes are making it hard for Californians to afford basic needs, and they want the governor to help.