Californians now pay as much as $1.00 more per gallon of fuel than the rest of the country. Shouldn’t the motoring public know why?
A bill in the California Legislature to do just that was Senate Bill 1074, by state Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa. Called “Disclosure of government-imposed costs,” it would have required gas stations to post near each gas pump a list of cost factors, such as federal, state and local taxes, costs associated with environmental rules and regulations including the cap-and-trade tax.
Numerous folks and organizations spoke in support of the bill at an April 23 hearing before the Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development. I testified myself. Absolutely no one from the public spoke in opposition.
But the Democratic-controlled committee didn’t want the public to know why we’re paying so much, and voted to kill the bill from future consideration.
I watched closely the action on the Senate floor. The senator who spoke most against the bill was Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton. But when the time of the vote came and it became clear the bill would fail, he voted Aye, which could help him in his close recall election bid this June.
Newman already had enough problems on the issue because he provided the key vote last year to pass Senate Bill 1, which jacked up gas taxes $5.5 billion a year. An initiative to repeal that gouging at the gouging at the pump just submitted more than 1 million signatures and also should go before voters this November.
It’s strange that almost every other product we buy comes with the price listed on the tag, with the taxes then clearly added to the receipt: clothes, computers, cars, furniture, office supplies, books, etc.
By contrast, the price at the pump is not broken down by tax or other cost, but actually includes a multitude of taxes, as well as costs from numerous environmental regulations.
In addition to the federal tax on fuels that applies to all states, California’s state taxes are among the highest in the country. Beginning last November, SB 1 alone added 12 cents to a gallon of gasoline and 20 cents to diesel.
SB 1074 specified the multiple taxes and regulatory costs that would have to be listed: a) The federal fuel tax per gallon; b) the state fuel tax per gallon; c) the state sales tax per gallon; d) refinery reformatting costs per gallon; e) cap and trade program compliance costs per gallon; f) low-carbon fuel standard program compliance costs per gallon; and g) renewable fuels standard program compliance costs per gallon.
That’s a lot of taxes and costs.
The cap and trade costs, by the way, now are the major funding source for outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown’s favorite boondoggle, the Choo Choo train project.
The high fuel taxes impact not just drivers, but almost everything in our economy, such as the food carried to grocery stores, materials to housing construction and clothing to children’s stores. Even Amazon.com and other online retailers will charge more for shipping as their costs rise.
Especially hurt by the high cost of fuel are the working poor, who often must commute an hour or more inland because coastal housing is so expensive. Aren’t such people supposed to be a key constituency of the Democratic Party?
No wonder we now have a better understanding of why California suffers the highest percentage of people in poverty and a homeless crisis so acute it shocks the world.
SB 1074 would have given motorists information on what’s really going on. But for the Democratic supermajority in the Legislature, bliss is keeping Californians ignorant.
Ronald Stein founder of PTS Staffing Solutions, a technical staffing agency headquartered in Irvine
This article was originally published by Fox and Hounds Daily
Liberals are the enemy of all poor and middle class people. They care about two things, keeping their “do nothing good for the people” jobs, and getting political donations from their rich donars to facilitate that. Liberal politicians are the scum of the earth.
PLEASE REMEMBER THIS WHEN YOU VOTE. WE’VE GOT TO GET THESE PEOPLE OUT OF OFFICE. THEY ARE DESTROYING OUR STATE, OUR WAY OF LIFE.
I agree that there should be more disclosure but think it should be on receipts and generated by computer. a displayed sign has maintenance problems for the owner due to changes in laws, taxations, fees which may happen frequently. as example the seasonal blend of gasoline which may transition during a month of changeover.
California resident and the Socialist communist Democratic party are alive and well in California//These scumbag democrates like to hide EVERYTHING…Vote these scumbags out of office…
Every day I live, I see more confirmation of the complete corruption of OUR government.
Sadly it’s no longer ‘our’ government. It’s the Marxists and we are their subjects.
Travis Allen for Governor
Provide us the information!
I can print labels and leave a sticker at every pump I get gas at.
Imagine if those 1 million who signed the initiative did the same.
Also, make a meme and ask people to share on Twitter and FaceBook. USE technology to your advantage the same way Trump has shown us.
This is how you fight back. Dems will beat you every time if you fight fair. We can’t just come here to bitch and complain.
Cloak and dagger, it’s what Democrats do.
If they could spin it to seem they were giving money away instead of stealing it they’d probably go along with it. But, since they are stealing us into poverty they’ll keep it behind closed doors until we are impoverished and on welfare. Then that will be their reason for taxing us into the poor house, so they could send us a welfare check once a month. Paid for by who, we just don’t know yet, but Democrats will figure it out they’ve been destroying cities, towns, and small communities for years they have plenty of places to steal money. Or do they?
1. Travis Allen NOT RINO Cos
2. We pay SALES TAX on the TAXES
Flush Sack-0-Tomatoes
The Democrats have proven their intent to price out of existence the private auto. In Denmark to buy an auto there is a Federal 150% tax based upon the purchase price.
The Left has failed massively in its attempt to create alternatives to autos by rail, buses, and bike paths. Imposing punitive taxes on fuel is their final push. Hitler order what we call the “Battle of the Bulge” offensive when face with overwhelming defeat.
The question is, are the voters willing to continue to allow deception and regressive taxation to continue? Air quality has massively improved with computer controlled engines, new gasoline and more. Yet the “Anti’s” insist upon diluting gas with polluting alcohol, reducing MPH causing, and as a result more gasoline is burned.
Their intent is to take your rights of travel, and are willing to use ever deceptive means to achieve that.
Want help in transportation issues? Contact Cars Are Basic, at cab@CarsAreBasic.org
This legislation should have mandated that the government pony up the cash to provide the info on how much they coerce out of their employers. Notice how the government “helping” ends up costing businesses more…
The Democrat party should be called by its now real name, the
Socialist party. Destruction of the American economy is one of its primary goals. The socialists in Sacramento have taken the lead now that o bummer is out of the white house. Until we stop fraudulent voting in California, we will have trouble stopping the socialists.