California Assembly Republican Caucus
On Thursday, Legislative Republicans will attempt to pass legislation to stop the $500 million gas tax increase scheduled to kick in on Friday, July 1st. Despite a record $98 billion budget surplus and motorists paying record prices at the pump, the Democrat budget plan to be voted on this week fails to allocate any funding to reduce gas prices. It also fails to stop the July 1st gas tax increase which was a promise Newsom touted in his January budget proposal.
“Even when we have more than enough money to cover road maintenance and repair, the Capitol Democrats still plan on doing nothing to stop the increase of your gas prices. President Biden and plenty of other Democrat-controlled states are suspending their gas tax because they know it is something they can do immediately to provide relief. I am baffled by the choice to do the opposite in California.”
-Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher (R- Yuba City)
The scheduled July 1st increase represents a 5.6% increase in the state’s gas tax which will add about 3 cents to each gallon of gasoline in California. According to AAA, California motorists are paying $6.30 a gallon. That’s $1.43 per gallon above the national average due to the state’s high taxes, fees and regulatory environment. Since January, Assembly Republicans have been attempting to suspend the state’s 51 cent gas tax. The Governor and Capitol Democrats have rejected every Republican attempt to lower gas prices. Instead, Democrats have launched another ‘investigation’ that Gallagher calls a dead-end political stunt.
“Republican Legislators have been calling for gas price relief for over a year now. Tomorrow, in partnership with my Assembly Republican colleagues, I will propose an amendment to my Senate Bill 1403 that will halt the upcoming gas tax increase. This is not a partisan issue, even President Biden endorses a gas tax suspension. Now, it’s time for Democrat Legislators to do the same.”
-Senator Brian Jones (R- Santee)
The Republican-led legislative effort to stop the July 1st gas tax increase will take place on Thursday, June 30th around 9am and can be watched live here.