CA gas prices June 4, 2025. (Photo: Katy Grimes for California Globe)
California Gov. Newsom and Democrats Driving Gas Prices Through the Roof
California refiners have not engaged in widespread price gouging, profiteering, price manipulation
By Katy Grimes, June 4, 2025 12:18 pm
California Democrats killed bills this week which would have suspended the Low Carbon Fuel Standard gas tax increase of 65 cents a gallon from going into effect July 1st.
Assembly Republicans tried to suspend constitution (which is frequently done by Democrats) to bring AB 12 to the floor, which would halt the state’s updated Low Carbon Fuel Standard from going into effect. That failed 18-39. The rule is expected to raise gas prices and could go into effect July 1.
As KCRA reported Wednesday morning, “Days after telling lawmakers the California Air Resources Board she oversees does not analyze how its clean air rules could impact costs to drivers and consumers, CARB Chairwoman Liane Randolph is now facing calls to resign.”
“That bill- to stop updated Low Carbon Fuel Standards- failed in committee earlier this year. Sen. Brian Jones today pointed to bipartisan calls for CARB chairwoman to resign, after she admitted they don’t analyze how rules impact gas prices” KCRA’s Ashley Zavala posted to X.
As the Globe reported in November:
The California Air Resources Board voted to approve new gas regulations which will result in as much as a .65 cent per gallon increase in California’s gas prices.
The California Governor, Legislature and State Air Resources Board are working hand in glove to restrict the availability of oil and gas and increase the cost of gas at the pump so severely, middle class and working class drivers will be making choices between groceries and fuel for the car.
Remember that Gov. Newsom recently claimed Californians would save money at the pump with the CARB vote.
The vote made significant updates to the low carbon fuel standard (LCFS), which requires the state to reduce the environmental impact of gas and other transportation fuels by incentivizing producers to cut emissions.
This is Gov. Newsom’s plan to decrease the state’s gas supply, as well as the California Air Resources Board mandating an additional .50 cents per gallon be added to the price of gas in California in January, we reported.
Here is how bad gas prices already are, ahead of the July 1 increase.
Or you could always convert to biodiesel:
AAA reports today that the national average price for a gallon of regular gas is $3.144; mid-grade is $3.629; premium is $3.984 and diesel is $3.516.
California’s average price for a gallon of regular gas is $4.747; mid-grade is $4.969; premium is $5.141 and diesel is $5.073. The highest gas prices in California are in Humbolt and Mono Counties at $5.507 and $5.922.
Even the average gas price in California is higher than Hawaii, which has to tanker ship in all gas.
Mississippi’s average gas price per gallon is $2.648.
Kansas’s average gas price per gallon is $2.880.
South Carolina’s average gas price per gallon is $2.778.
Texas’s average gas price per gallon is $2.747.
Florida’s average gas price per gallon is $3.020.
Virginia’s average gas price per gallon is $2.937.
Ohio’s average gas price per gallon is $3.057.
Gov. Newsom, the Legislature and State Air Resources Board have been working hand in glove to restrict the availability of oil and gas and increase the cost of gas at the pump so severely, middle class and working class drivers will be making choices between groceries and fuel for the car.
California’s cap and trade program will expire in 2030. The CARB devised the cap-and-trade system whereby it holds a quarterly auction program requiring selected California employers to bid significant amounts of money for the privilege of continuing to operate in the state and “pollute” — or be faced with closing their doors.
California’s cap-and-trade program places a “cap” on aggregate greenhouse gas emissions from businesses and utilities deemed “polluters” by the California Air Resources Board, which the CARB says are responsible for most of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.
A recent study by Michael A. Mische at the University of Southern California highlights the looming affordability crisis, finding that the closure of Phillips 66 and Valero refineries will slash California’s refining capacity by 21 percent by 2026, potentially driving prices to $7.35 – $8.44 per gallon, the Globe reported recently.
Newsom and the other green energy devotees in the legislature are always quick to blame the oil industry for price gouging or financial trickery every time gas prices go up, and every few years they announce another commission to study what the greedy corporations are doing to make our gas so expensive.
But California’s gas prices, the highest in the nation at $4.747 as of June 4, 2025, are a direct result of the state’s own policies, not corporate greed.
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This is a literal ASSAULT upon the people of California. Noisome and company want to impoverish everyone, take away your cars and your freedom. Enough is enough. It is time to send Noisome and his pet CARB to GITMO as the terrorists they are.
Absolutely; however be assured the apathetic complacent Californians will do nothing and in fact will roll over into their graves willingly.
And yet the vast majority of CA voters will continue to be unable to connect the dots and will just vote back in the same people who caused all of this just so they can raise prices and make the state even more unaffordable. Just look at the Boomer Karens that showed up in San Diego to protest the police arresting criminals. That right there is the reason our state is disintegrating.
This is squarely on the DEMOCRATS and those that keep voting them in!
Democrats are the price gougers and the people who vote anything D. This will impact the people who cannot afford to live where they work and impact the commercial truck drivers. Inflation is on the way as soon as the 65 cents kicks in. All the police cars, fire engines, ambulances, county and state vehicles, all paying more in gas and diesel. That means we, the taxpayers, are paying for the increase. More money out of our pocket for Newsom’s flight of fancy. Democrats are going to swell the ranks of the working poor.
Time to make the commie democrats who drive state owned vehicles that they fill up at the peoples expense give those vehicles up and drive their own at their expense. How large is the state owned fleet anyway. I see a lot of E plates. They have the gall to want to investigate the oil companies for high pricing and accuse them of gouging. This will effect prices across the board. Then they’ll be investigating the retailers. No wonder Newsom has a good relationship with Xi. He follows the same playbook.
zero coverage of this in the SLO county media.
probably much of the same for the state
but of course they mention the June 14 protest against President Trump..