Welp. They officially passed D-Day in California on July 1 - 'D' as in 'damn it' because the scheduled gas tax came into effect along with a slew of new environmental regulations aimed squarely at the shrinking and beleaguered fossil fuel industry that once thrived and powered the state's incredible prosperity and allure.
...Prices at the pump in California will likely jump in July, the result of a state sales tax hike and stricter rules on refineries to encourage them to create lower-carbon fuels. The combined increases could boost gas prices by nearly 70 cents, although industry experts and state officials disagree on how steep the price increase may be.
...As of Wednesday, the current average for the state is $4.64 per gallon compared with $4.81 on the same day last year, a 17-cent decrease.
Even though forecasters predict global oil inventories will continue to grow past the month of July, relieving pressure on oil prices, California consumers won’t feel any reprieve next month.
On July 1, California’s gas excise tax will increase to 61.2 cents per gallon from the current rate of 59.6 cents per gallon, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. The tax on diesel fuel will increase from 45.4 to 46.6 cents per gallon.
WEEE! Seventeen whole cents less than last year! Isn't it nice to know that, as consumers all over America are enjoying a tangible respite from the combined effects of Joe Biden's killer oil industry regulations and catastrophic foreign policy, that your state government is making sure you share none of it?
But not for you California. Sorry https://t.co/zv6QZJXlnQ
— US Oil & Gas Association (@US_OGA) July 8, 2025
At all?
While @GavinNewsom is in South Carolina today, maybe he should ask its @GOP governor, @HenryMcMaster why South Carolina’s gas prices are less than half as much as they are here. Gavin could learn something to benefit Californians rather than lecturing Americans 3,000 miles away. pic.twitter.com/35F0pzrGla
— California Republican Party (@CAGOP) July 8, 2025
Nothing is turning out the way the Green schemers planned, but it all sure is expensive.
At 6:45 p.m. on this June evening, California is relying on natural gas to generate more than 1/3 of the electricity the state needs. The state's target of running 100% on solar/wind/batteries by 2045 is delusional. You're paying for pretentious daydreams and idiotic subsidies. pic.twitter.com/ooaI2Av7V8
— Susan Shelley (@Susan_Shelley) July 1, 2025
And now oleaginous Gov Gavin Newsom is busy doing public relations mop up against the folks who point out that his gas hike combined with a 'low'carbon' rule could cause a even bigger spike in already astronomical gas prices, and may well throw a state that's perfectly capable of producing every drop of oil it ever needed on its own into a critical fuel shortage.
Gavin Newsom @GavinNewsom is UTTERLY LYING.
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) June 24, 2025
Starting July 1:
1. California gas tax rises to 61.2¢ (was 59.6¢)
2. @AirResources' new “low carbon” rule kicks in—@Penn says it could add 65¢ more/gal.
That’s up to $900/year for a 2-car family. pic.twitter.com/bZy4k6fSj2
Don't you love it when a climate cult plan comes together?
The CA Senate minority leader believes it's all a plot to force Californians into the EVs the Newsom administration was planning on mandating until Trump and Congress ruined that party for them.
But I tend to agree with the comment below his. In a state with already horrific electricity rates and not enough power on the grid as it is, it's impossible for everyone the plug their EV in to charge at night.
No, man - they want you walking or riding the BART. Or a mythical high-speed rail.
You won't be 'owning' and driving anything if it's up to these guys.
I disagree with you Brian in this way. The ultimate end game isn’t forcing us to buy electric cars. The end game is no personal ownership of a vehicle of any sort. Mass public transportation only.
— Swedish Meatball (@ChrisCarlson) May 21, 2025
Yet, they keep getting voted into office.
And then those same elected leaders continue on their derp derp derpy way, oblivious as ever they were to the realities of life.
...Fossil fuels account for roughly 8% of California’s $3 trillion economy — but that’s the first 8%. “If you don’t get that first 8%,” I tell my students, “You don’t get the rest of our economy.” Oil powers everything from trucks to tractors to construction equipment. Without it, you can’t build roads or bridges or get goods to grocery stores. Without refined petroleum products, you don’t make cement, steel, plastics or even the lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles.
Despite these realities, California energy policy is leading to the dismantling of the critical infrastructure that supports this essential system. Our state has lost more than 30 refineries in the last few decades. We are now down to just nine major gasoline-producing facilities, and two more are scheduled to close in the coming months, Phillips 66 in Los Angeles and Valero in the Bay Area. Those two plants represent 284,000 barrels of daily production and account for nearly 18% of the state’s total refining capacity.
California sits atop one of the largest untapped reserves in the world, the Monterey Shale. But because of policy and regulation, we import most of our oil — including from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Guyana and Ecuador. California has also imported oil from Russia and Venezuela. Ironically, we have among the world’s cleanest refining standards, but we import fuel from places with lower environmental and labor protections.
All of this is enabled by a supply chain that’s more vulnerable than most realize. We have no major pipelines bringing oil to California. We rely on ships — many from Asia — that take 30 to 40 days to deliver fuel. These foreign tankers pollute at staggering rates. Stunningly, because that pollution happens over international waters, it doesn’t get counted by the California Air Resources Board. Closing a refinery in California and importing more fuel causes a net increase in pollution. And adding to our reliance on foreign oil is risky when global instability is rising.
Derp derp derp
That makes sense since trends in the EV marketplace show Californians have rejected EV’s and Newsom’s mandate. EV’s are too expensive and impractical. Californians don’t want them. Newsom is corrupted by his focus on ideology as his policies fail Californians. His lack of self… https://t.co/84aQ2qkiOY
— California Lowdown (@CAlowdown) May 21, 2025
... Newsom is corrupted by his focus on ideology as his policies fail Californians. His lack of self awareness as he creates a pending energy crisis is beyond comprehension. Gasoline prices in California during the 2026 elections across America will be featured in many advertisements. Our governor is clueless.
I'll go for calling him corrupted by ideology, and add ego. I will also disagree with that conclusion - he's not clueless. He's an evil old school Mathusian to his core.
Newsom is a ruthless, dictatorial authoritarian wrapped in a pretty package who has a supine and compliant legislature enacting whatever his toothy, Randall Flagg-Lite smile cajoles them into declaring as law.
The citizens of California and their welfare are the least of his concerns.
In fact, it's been much easier for him to operate with impunity the fewer citizens there are.
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